DEFORESTATION IN MALAYSIA
CAUSES:
Logging
• Clear felling - all trees chopped down in an area.
• Selective logging - only fully grown keys are cut down. Trees that have
important ecological value are unharmed.
Population Pressure
• Government encouraged the poor to move to the countryside (called
transmigration) to get people away from the overcrowded cities.
• 1956-1980 had 15000 hectares of rainforest was felled.
• Many of these settlers then set up plantations.
Subsistence Farming
• Tribal people do this small scale, sustainable farming
• 'Slash and burn' to clear the land for crops. The burning creates nutrients
that help plants to grow. But they can get out of control, destroying large
areas of land.
Mineral Extraction
• Mining (mainly tin).
• Rainforest has been cleared for mines and road construction.
• Drilling for oil and gas on the island of Borneo.
Energy Development
• In 2011, after 5 decades for delays, the Bakun Dam in Sarawak started to
generate electricity.
• It's Asia's highest da outside China.
• Several dams are planned to boost electricity supplies.
• The dam's reservoir flooded over 700km2 of forests and farmland.
Commercial Farming
• Large scale farming.
• Malaysia is the largest exporter of palm oil in the world.
• Plantation owners receive tax incentives, so increasing amounts of land
have been converted to plantations.
Who's to Blame?
• The Malaysian government and big businesses are to blame.
• Big businesses (such as Nestle or the Dunkin' brand) exploit areas to grow
oil palm trees.
• As the business brings so much income, the government allows it to
happen.
• The logging industry reportedly earns the Malaysian government
$2,150,000,000 each year.
• Malaysia produces 85% of the world's palm oil.
Impacts
• Malaysia is the world's 21st most bio diverse country, with 2,199
endangered species. The species could go extinct.
• Indigenous people rely on the rainforest for shelter, food, medicine and
other necessities, Their culture and livelihoods are at risk from the
logging industry.
• There's less trees to soak up rainwater, resulting in an increased number
of flash floods.
• An increased number of mudslides is reported.
• Trees (which are carbon sinks) are releasing their carbon stores when
logged. This causes global warming.
Solutions
• Tighter restrictions on palm oil production.
• More sustainable logging solutions.
• Increasing awareness of the deforestation problem.
• Re-planting trees when one is cut down.
• Making areas of the rainforest 'Protected' by wildlife commissions.
• Selective logging. Only older trees are cut down. Several years are
given for new ones to grow in their place.
• Teaching people of the problems of deforestation and it's impact on the
environment.
• Having people from other countries come and help re-establish the
rainforest.
• Creating laws on rainforest protection.
Forestry Laws
Malaysia is comprised of several individual states and some federal territories spread
between two large land areas. Peninsular Malaysia is home to 11 states and two
territories, while East Malaysia is made up of two large states (Sarawak and Sabah)
and one federal territory. Forest management started in Malaysia as early as the
1900s, and it has since improved and refined the system to incorporate selective and
sustainable forest management throughout the country. In accordance with the Federal
Constitution of Malaysia, all Malaysian states have jurisdiction over their lands,
forests, fishery, agriculture, and water resources, including the power to decide on the
administration, management, use and allocation of their forest resources.
While each State has the power to create its own individual forestry rules, there are
two key forest policies in Malaysia. The National Forestry Act of 1984 and the National
Forestry Policy of 1978, plus all subsequent amendments, are the two primary laws
related to forestry activities in Malaysia. These policies are designed to ensure that
forest management areas should be protected from illegal harvesting, unauthorized
settlement, and other unpermitted activities. In the States, namely Sabah and Sarawak,
different laws reflect the need to protect forest management areas from unauthorized
activities in different ways. As the largest States and with the greatest forest coverage,
being familiar with the laws and policies of Sabah and Sarawak is recommended. In
Sabah, the State Forest Policy of 1954 and the Forest Enactment policy of 1968 are the
dominant state laws. Similarly, Sarawak’s Statement of Forest Policy of 1954 and the
Forests Ordinance of 1954 (namely Chapter 126, Parts II (Forest Reserves) and Part
III (Protected Forests)) control operations there.
To review national policies related to forestry activities in Malaysia, visit
the Department of Environment’s Legislative Database.
Another useful resource to learn more about Malaysia’s legislative documentation can
be found through the GFTN Legislative Guide: Malaysia.
National Forestry Act of 1984 (amended in 1993)
The original Forestry Act of 1984 and itssubsequent amendments are designed to
promote uniformity of the forestry laws of the States of Malaysia. It addresses issues
related to forestry administration, management, and conservation, plus forest
development. It gives Malaysian States the authority to appoint officers responsible
for designing forest management and restoration plans, handling annual forest
development reports, and managing an annual budget. It also classifies Permanent
Forest Estates (PFEs) and sates that any products originating from a PFE or other
State land are considered the property of the State Authority, and therefore may only
be extracted with a proper license.
National Forest Policy of 1977 (updated in 1992)
Malaysia’s various Forestry Departments around the country are responsible for the
management, planning, protection and development of the Permanent Forest Estate
(PRE) in accordance with the National Forestry Policy (NFP) and the National
Forestry Act (NFA). The primary objective of the Policy is to identify the Permanent
Forest Estate strategically located throughout the country in accordance with rational
and sustainable land use. The PFE will be managed and classified under four major
functions: (1) production forests; (2) protection forests; (3) amenity forests, and
(4) research and education forests.
With regard to production forests, the NFP requires that states use production forests
within the PFE sustainably in order to ensure forest products for both domestic and
international consumption into perpetuity (i.e. sustainably). In addition, the PFE,
including production forest areas, are to be managed to maximize social, economic and
environmental benefits for the nation and its people in accordance with the principles
of sustainable management. To do so, the NFP requires a clear forest use plan for
forest development, which should include forest regeneration and rehabilitation
operations. The NFP also requires State forestry bodies to promote efficient harvesting
and utilization within their production forests to maximize economic benefits and to
stimulate the development of appropriate forest industries commensurate with the
resource flow, especially in the production of more value-added finished and semi-
finished products.
National Policy on Biological Diversity of 1998
Malaysia’s National Policy on Biological Diversity (1998) was approved in order “to
conserve Malaysia’s biological diversity and to ensure that its components are utilized
in a sustainable manner for the continued progress and socio-economic development of
the nation.” Malaysia ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1994,
which required all ratifying countries to incorporate the Convention into its national
policies. The Policy on Biological Diversity includes strategies for the effective
management of biological diversity and introduces the idea of a tropical biological
research center.
Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) System Malaysia is committed to SFM practices.
As a result, Malaysia employs the “area control” and/or “volume” method of forest
management, which is detailed in each State’s forest management plans. The allocation
of annual timber yields is set to balance the production and extraction of timber based
on the net area of production forest within the Permanent Reserved Forest. Each state
is then required to report their state’s compliance with the annual extraction limit.
Review of these numbers is overseen by the National Land Council, which is chaired by
the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. Learn more about SFM inSarawak and Sabah.
Other Relevant National Laws in MalaysiaThere are several laws that are directly or
indirectly related to the Forestry Act 1984, including:
• Federal Constitution
• National Land Code 1965 (Act 56)
• Criminal Procedure Code (Revised 1999)(Act 593)
• Penal Code (Revised 1997)(Act 574)
• Evidence Act 1950 (Act 56)
• International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008 (Act 686)
• Mineral Development Act 1994 (Act 525)
• Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716)
• Fisheries Act 1985 (Act 317)
• Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127)
Examples of Applicable State Forestry Laws: Sabah
Like at the national level, Malaysian states also have forestry laws and polices that
licensees must abide by in order to harvest from the PFE. For example, here are some
important regulations guiding forest management and conservation at the state-level
in Sabah. They are designed to be in accordance with existing forest ecosystems,
appropriate to the scale and commensurate with the intensity of forest management for
the area.
• Forest Enactment 1968
• Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997
• Biodiversity Enactment 2000
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Guidelines for Logging and Forest
Clearance Activities 2002
