Tag Archives: forest

In-Depth

Ways to Improve Malaysia’s Ecological Fiscal Transfers

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Rock quarries have been expanding within Bukit Lagong forest reserve, Selangor. (Satellite image from Google Earth/Airbus)

Ways to Improve Malaysia's Ecological Fiscal Transfers

Conservationists broadly agree that the EFT mechanism has been good for Malaysia and that all states could benefit from more money for biodiversity protection. But increasing allocations, making the scheme legally permanent and giving states more freedom on how they can spend EFT funds could make this mechanism more effective.

A co-publication by Macaranga and Eco-Business.

Writer: Samantha Ho

Editor: YH Law

Published: 10 April 2025

Part 1 |  Part 2

(Feature image: The Selangor state government has been approving expansion of quarries (left) in the Bukit Lagong forest reserve. | Satellite image from Google Earth/Airbus)

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In-Depth

Bright spots in the dark: Tracking Malaysia’s fiscal transfers for nature conservation

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Bright spots in the dark: Tracking Malaysia's Fiscal transfers for nature conservation

The federal government said its Ecological Fiscal Transfer funds have spurred state governments to add protected areas and run conservation programmes. Yet as environmentalists are calling for more EFT funding, our analysis finds little transparency on most of the money disbursed, despite some state-level data from Johor and Sabah.

A co-publication by Macaranga and Eco-Business.

Writer: Samantha Ho  |  Editor: YH Law

Published: 8 April 2025

Part 1 | Part 2

(Feature image by Macaranga) 

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Insight

Helping Sabah’s Sun Bears Return to the Wild

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(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.

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Insight

Penduduk Pitas Memulih Bakau yang Dimusnah Kolam Udang Gagal

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Penduduk Pitas Memulih Bakau yang Dimusnah Kolam Udang Gagal

Penduduk setempat di Pitas, Sabah, menderita akibat kolam udang besar yang memusnahkan hutan bakau mereka dan kemudian gulung tikar.

Foto dan laporan oleh Chen Yih Wen.

Diterbitkan: 28 November 2022

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Insight

Pitas Villagers Restoring Mangroves Destroyed by Failed Shrimp Farm

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Pitas Villagers Restoring Mangroves Destroyed by Failed Shrimp Farm

Locals in Pitas, Sabah, suffer the consequences of a huge shrimp farm that destroyed their mangroves and then went out of business.

Photos and reporting by Chen Yih Wen.

Published: November 28, 2022

[Malay version]

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Macaranga

为油棕而破坏森林与老虎栖息地，价值何在？

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YP Olio 有限公司最近从联邦环境局获得允准在8498公顷的地块上清除森林并种植油棕。

该项目地块位于彭亨州的珍妮-百乐综合森林内，这是一个具有丰富生物多样性和生态价值的天然森林。在项目地块里还有两座原住民村落，村民声称该地方是他们的习俗地。

Macaranga发现，该项目将给发展商带来巨大的利益，而政府和社会将付出高昂的代价。此外，项目对森林的破坏将危及已经濒危的马来亚虎。

该项目对马来西亚油棕业的声誉有什么影响？ 对于彭亨州政府和发展商来说，最适当的选择又是什么？

第一篇：为卖不出去的油棕砍伐森林

第二篇：承诺保育老虎，却在彭亨破坏栖息地

第三篇：原住民为森林放弃新房子

 

Macaranga

Where is the Green in GE15?

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ON 19 NOVEMBER, Malaysians will vote for our next federal government  – and state governments too, for some.

From declaring a climate emergency to stopping deforestation, different groups are demanding that political candidates and parties  include environmental and climate commitments in their GE15 manifestos. Here’s an evolving list of the demands compiled by Macaranga.

To help you evaluate, we also include evaluations by groups and a list of the specifical environmental / climate promises in the manifestos of the main political coalitions in Peninsular Malaysa, Sarawak and Sabah. There are links to some commentary/analysis as well.

You can do more than just read. You can make your demands to the candidates, and you can monitor candidates’ positions on environmental issues.

At the bottom of this page, use the templates of letters to send to candidates. Also check out #UndiIklim, an attempt still underway to rank candidates in terms of climate and environmental issues and policies.

(Feature photo: SL Wong)

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Macaranga

Apa nilainya musnah hutan dan habitat harimau demi kelapa sawit?

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Syarikat YP Olio Sdn Bhd baru menerima kelulusan daripada Jabatan Alam Sekitar untuk menebang kawasan hutan 8,498 ha untuk dijadikan ladang kelapa sawit.

Tapak itu terletak dalam kompleks hutan Chini-Bera, Pahang, sebuah hutan asli yang cukup kaya dengan kepelbagaian biologi dan nilai-nilai ekologi. Terdapat juga dua kampung Orang Asli dalam tapak projek yang menuntut kawasan itu sebagai tanah adat mereka.

Siasatan Macaranga mendapati bahawa projek ini membawa manfaat besar kepada pihak pemaju, manakala pihak kerajaan dan masyarakat menanggung kos yang tinggi. Tambahan pula, kemusnahan hutan itu akan menjejas populasi harimau Malaya yang sudahpun hampir pupus.

Apakah kesan projek tersebut ke atas reputasi kemampanan industri kelapa sawit di Malaysia? Apakah pilihan paling wajar bagi pihak kerajaan Pahang dan pemaju?

Bahagian 1: Menebang Hutan Demi Kelapa Sawit Yang Takkan Terjual

Bahagian 2: Biarpun Sudah Berjanji, Habitat Harimau di Pahang Tetap Dimusnahkan

Bahagian 3: Orang Asli Menolak Tawaran Rumah Baharu Untuk Hutan