Slow Adoption of Biotech Crops Could Cost Malaysia

February 12, 2025 Macaranga Leave a comment

With droughts and heavy rainfall disrupting agriculture, Malaysia’s slow uptake of biotech crops as a solution is worrying, writes science communicator Saarani Vengadesen.

AS ONE OF Southeast Asia’s agricultural powerhouses, Malaysia faces a growing challenge: how to sustain its agricultural output while protecting the environment.

With climate change affecting rainfall patterns, rising temperatures, and increasing pest resistance, traditional farming practices are struggling to meet the demands of both farmers and the planet.

(Feature image: Food security needs to be bolstered with all the means available | Photo by Lee Kwai Han)

Insight

Helping Sabah’s Sun Bears Return to the Wild

February 7, 2025 Vincent Tan Leave a comment

(Feature image: Sun bears Sunbearo and Loki being released into the forest in 2021. The two were among the 12 bears released by the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) between 2015–2022. (Tee Thye Lim/BSBCC))

Returning rescued sun bears to their wild homes is tough and too many die in the process. While conservationists labour to help these bears, they say it is better that the bears never left the forests.

INSIDE SABAH’S Tabin Wildlife reserve, just over an hour’s drive from the seaside town of Lahad Datu, 4 men trudge into a natural clearing in the forest, their footing sure despite the muddy terrain. They are carefully hauling the disassembled parts of a wild bear trap.

One man empties a packet of bait into a small cage made of wire mesh. He hoists and suspends the small cage into the air. His 2 other teammates rapidly assemble the bear trap.

In-Depth

Jury Out on Whether Petting Zoos Aid Conservation

January 9, 2025 Lee Kwai Han Leave a comment

Petting zoos are gaining in popularity and host local and exotic animals. In Part 2, we ask how petting zoos are sourcing their wildlife, especially animals that are legally protected.

PALM COCKATOOS (Probosciger aterrimus) are handsome birds. Smoky black feathers, tomato-red cheeks, and a high mohawk crest. This bird – one of the few known to make tools for music – originates from New Guinea and northern Australia.

But in Malaysia, you might find them in petting zoos and zoos. Some have even been trained to perch on human arms for photos.

Wild individuals cannot be imported into Malaysia for commercial purposes, but captive-bred ones may. However, conservationists point to the murkiness surrounding sourcing these rare parrots.

(Feature image: Insta-worthy, but how much does providing such interaction help conserve wild parrots? | Photo by Lee Kwai Han)

In-Depth

Petting Wildlife Sending Mixed Signals

January 6, 2025 Lee Kwai Han Leave a comment

Petting zoos with their wildlife and exotic species, are becoming increasingly popular. In Part 1 of 2, we look at the impact of these facilities on the welfare of both wildlife and humans.

AS SOON as they entered the petting zoo, schoolchildren excitedly rushed towards the pygmy horse behind a wooden fence. Quickly, they grabbed carrot sticks from their plastic tub feeding kits. The next instant, they were waving more than a dozen carrots at the horse.

Each child was hoping the horse would pick the one in his hand. But that was just a starter for the children at Farm in the City, one of the largest petting zoos in Malaysia.

(Feature image: The boom in petting zoos has pros and cons, as they feature wildlife, including exotic creatures such as the Aldabra giant tortoise, endemic to Seychelles | Photo by Lee Kwai Han)

Remarks

A Roadmap for Disaster Resilience in Malaysia

December 23, 2024 Macaranga Leave a comment

From infrastructure to community involvement and good governance, resilience in the face of disasters must be built, writes disaster management professional Dr Sheikh Kamran Abid.

THIS November-to-December monsoon has been vicious, racking up the largest victim displacement – at least 120,000 – since the large big flood of 2014.

But Malaysia is no stranger to natural disasters. The country faces various environmental risks, from devastating floods to landslides and droughts. In recent years, the impacts of climate change have intensified these natural hazards, making it more urgent than ever to build disaster resilience.

(Feature image: As landslides and other natural disasters increase due to the climate crisis, resilience at every level needs to be built. | Screenshot from JKR Daerah Kinta Facebook )

Insight

Banking on River Reserves to Protect Water Supply

December 4, 2024 Chen Yih Wen Leave a comment

Selangor wants to secure its water supply with more river reserves. But will the law have teeth? And what about protecting the forests that feed the rivers?

SELANGOR residents are no strangers to frequent water cuts. They have suffered water cuts due to river pollution every year in the last decade except for 2017 and 2018, according to news reports.

Pollution in the raw water intake, particularly from illegal dumping and industrial discharge into rivers, has forced Air Selangor to shut down key treatment plants. Such disruptions severely impact the water supply for residents across Klang Valley and surrounding regions.

(Feature image: Volunteers doing their best to keep a riverbank clean in Taman Melawati, Selangor. River pollution has caused major and costly water cuts in the state. | Photo by Chen Yih Wen)

Training

Macaranga Environmental Reporting Mentorship

December 2, 2024 Macaranga

Nine issues tackled in journalism supported by Macaranga's Environmental Reporting Mentorship

21 August 2025: From ikan bilis fisheries to light pollution and waste management, the Macaranga Environmental Reporting Mentorship 2025 saw the production of features by 5 journalists and 5 news pieces by university students.

This project was supported by a grant from the Youth Environment Living Labs (YELL) administered by Justice for Wildlife Malaysia.

Our objective was to promote environmental messaging that is based on facts, guided by science, driven by data, is balanced and aligned to global environmental aspirations. It also promotes the role of the media and youth as key civil society actors and drivers of change.

Capacity building of journalists

We held a workshop for 12 reporters from different newsrooms to build their skills and up their knowledge on environmental issues. We then gave out 4 grants for 4 journalists to produce stories, and mentored them for 4 months.

Check out their indepth investigations:

Malaysia’s growing light pollution threatens wildlife; Light Pollution Guideline in the works and a follow-up story quoting MPs (Luqman Hakim / New Straits Times)
Coastal Crisis: What’s Eating Terengganu’s Shoreline? (Liew Yi Min / PocketTimes with Najmi Mamat)
When fishermen are forced to relocate, do you still have seafood to eat? — The conflict behind Pangkor Island’s development; English version (Yap Si Err / KiniTV)
Can Selangor Handle the Data Centre Boom? (Sakina Mohamed & Shaza Al Muzayen / Garasi Bernama)

2. Capacity building of university students

In collaboration with Universiti Malaya and Taylors University, we put students through a workshop and mentorship to produce news stories and related social media content. The students came from journalism and science disciplines.

Five groups received grants and were mentored to work on their chosen topics on respectively food and electronic waste, overconsumption, and biodiversity loss. Check out their stories on the YELL website (July 2025).

A forum was also held and a student in the audience, Dharyaasri Karthigesan, was applauded when she said that young people liked to have fun but also cared about the environment. However, youths needed adults to create spaces for them; at the same time, adults needed to take young people seriously.

With thanks to all the newsrooms and journalists as well as university students who participated! Much gratitude to our subject matter experts, as well as fellow trainers, mentors, and collaborators including Aidila Razak, Kuek Ser Kuang Keng, Dexter Chan, Lau Chak Onn, Muhamad Iqbal Fatkhi, Ian Yee, and Hilal Azmi.

Call for Applications ~ For Journalists: Reporting on the Environment

UPDATE: CLOSED – APPLICANTS HAVE BEEN SELECTED. CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR DETAILS OF THE WORKSHOP.

Are you itching to report on the Malaysian environment? Do you need help shaping your story idea and bringing it to fruition? Are you eager to apply data and mapping in your stories?

If you are nodding, then we have designed the perfect workshop for you!

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In-Depth

Fighting Floods with Better Drainage in Kuching

November 4, 2024 Liani MK Leave a comment

Outdated drainage in Kuching is intensifying flash floods and leaving communities vulnerable. Infrastructure must improve, plans streamlined and solutions account for state-specific conditions.

WHEN A deluge of rain hit Kuching, Sarawak in late August, it brought back the nightmare of the flood in 2021 that left Jeremy Aaron and his family stranded for 3 days.

“The first day was very kelam-kabut (hectic),” says the resident of Kampung Tabuan Dayak. “Everyone rushed to salvage their electric items…We stayed on the second floor the whole time, and called our elderly neighbours to check on them.”

(Feature image: Drains in Kuching are woefully inadequate to cope with denser cities and extreme rainfall | Photo by Arieff Zafir)

Remarks

Co-existing with the Wild in the Valley

October 22, 2024 Macaranga Leave a comment

The Klang Valley’s rapid development threatens not only our local biodiversity but also the delicate balance required for harmonious coexistence between humans and wildlife, writes wildlife conservation advocate Ashwiini Paranjothi.

WILDLIFE IS NOT limited to distant forests; it is present in our cities, adapting to urban life as green spaces shrink. Urban forests like Bukit Kiara and Bukit Gasing in the Klang Valley are home to a variety of species that now share their habitat with humans. The increased proximity has led to more frequent interactions and, unfortunately, more conflicts.

(Feature pic: When monkeys create chaos in neighbourhoods, human patience can run thin. | photo by Animal Neighbours Project)