Earth Matters

Gibbons are known for their beautiful calls and their ability to swing effortlessly through the forest canopy. But some of these animals are ending up in a very different environment: inside suitcases, being smuggled through international airports. A new analysis by TRAFFIC Southeast Asia has documented at least 86 gibbons intercepted in 33 international smuggling incidents over 32 months. Malaysia features prominently in the findings, with Kuala Lumpur International Airport linked to the highest number of incidents. So, what is happening to these animals, why are they being trafficked, and what can be done to stop this trade? Joining us to discuss the findings of their research, Canopy to Cabin: Southeast Asia's Gibbon Smuggling by Air, are Kanitha Krishnasamy, Director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, and Sandra Wong Jye Wen, Data and Research Officer at TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, both co-authors of the analysis. 

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We're heading towards COP31, the annual United Nations climate conference where governments from around the world come together to negotiate and make decisions on how to tackle climate change and the climate crisis. This year's meeting takes place in Antalya, Türkiye, and there's plenty at stake, from climate finance and the transition away from fossil fuels to the support needed by countries already dealing with the effects of climate change. So, what should we be looking out for, particularly from the perspective of the Global South? To explore this and more, we speak to Meenakshi Raman, the President of Sahabat Alam Malaysia and the Deputy Executive Director of the Third World Network.

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Congo might seem a long way from Malaysia, but the two are connected in ways we don't always think about. The minerals extracted from Congolese soil help power technologies used around the world, while here at home, communities are asking what happens when development puts pressure on their land, livelihoods and environment. These aren't just questions about where we get our resources from. They're also about who benefits from development, whose voices are heard, and what progress should look like in the first place. To explore these connections, we're joined by filmmaker, educator and ancestral ecologist Petna Ndaliko Katondolo, and director of Deep Cobalt, and also Maurice Carney, co-founder and Executive Director of Friends of the Congo. We'll look at what Congo can tell us about the choices we're making here in Malaysia, and the lessons we might find in Indigenous relationships with the natural world.

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What do trees, butterflies, spiders and forgotten food traditions have in common? They’re all part of the books that have shaped Bilqis Hijjas’s relationship with the natural world. The Director of Rimbun Dahan and committee member of the Biji Alam Awards, Bilqis joins us and co-host Dylan Jefri Ong (co-founder, Sunda Shelves) to explore how books can help us discover the wildlife around us, preserve traditional knowledge and see familiar creatures and landscapes in a new light. From practical field guides to nature essays and children’s stories, we look at the many ways reading can bring us closer to the world around us.

Nature Reads on Earth Matters is a monthly show where we explore the stories behind books that bring us closer to nature and the world around us, done in collaboration with independent bookstore Sunda Shelves.

Works discussed during this episode:

1. Heritage Trees of Penang by Simon Gardner, Pindar Sidisunthorn and Lai Ee May

2. A Naturalist's Guide to the Butterflies of Malaysia by Dr Lawrence G. Kirton

3. Recalling Forgotten Tastes by Sharifah Nadhirah

4. Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald

5. Aranea: A Story About a Spider by Jenny Wagner and Ron Brooks

6. Barbapapa's Ark by Annette Tison and Talus Taylor

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When we talk about saving forests in Malaysia, the instinct is to think big: national parks, huge reserves, major conservation bodies. But Shariff Mohamad took a different approach, by purchasing three acres of land in Hulu Selangor, and simply letting it grow back.

His camera traps have since recorded more than 20 mammal species on that small patch, including Malayan tapirs, leopard cats, and the yellow-throated marten. The land sits at the edge of Selangor State Park, and its wild fig and fruit trees have turned it into a magnet for wildlife passing through. On its own, three acres isn't much of a habitat for large animals - Shariff is the first to say so. Yet it's already proving how much life a tiny, unmanaged patch can hold.

What made him choose conservation over development on his own land? How does he decide when to step in and when to simply leave nature alone? And what does his experiment suggest about the role ordinary landowners could play in protecting biodiversity? We speak to Shariff about these and more, and also how he documents his experiences through social media on Dusun Liar.

Image Credit: Shariff Mohamad

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As temperatures rise and air-conditioning becomes an increasingly common part of daily life, staying cool can come at a cost. There’s the electricity bill to think about, of course, but there’s also the energy we consume and the carbon emissions associated with it. So, how can we stay comfortable without using more energy than we need to? And when it comes to buying an air-conditioner, how do we balance the upfront cost with the potential savings over time? These are some of the issues being addressed by Cool-Lah: Tambahlah Bintang, a public awareness campaign organised by environmental NGO EcoKnights, with support from the United Nations Environment Programme’s United for Efficiency initiative, Malaysia’s Energy Commission and the Malaysia Energy Literacy Program. We find out more from Nabila Shohimi, Sustainability Manager at EcoKnights, and Communication Consultant for the Cool-Lah Tambahlah Bintang campaign, appointed by UNEP's United for Efficiency initiative.

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Our forests are full of stories, but it takes a certain kind of storyteller to bring them to life. For independent filmmaker Myles Storey, that means looking beyond the animals themselves, to the landscapes they live in, the people who share those spaces, and the connections between them. Since we last spoke in 2023, Myles has been exploring some wonderfully different ways of telling nature stories. He’s followed endangered species, wild gibbons and even imagined what it might be like to see the world through the eyes of a sticky frog. He has also turned his camera towards the Nakawan Range in Perlis, and his latest documentary, NAKAWAN: The Living Soul of Perlis, explores the biodiversity, culture and communities of this remarkable landscape. We catch up with Myles about his life as a filmmaker, the stories he’s been telling, and what spending so much time in the natural world has taught him along the way. 

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Malaysia’s Budget 2027 includes funding for biodiversity conservation, community rangers and green initiatives, alongside measures to address issues such as flooding and water security. The government has also increased the allocation for the Ecological Fiscal Transfer, which provides funding to state governments to support conservation efforts. But WWF-Malaysia had called for a much bigger investment in nature ahead of the budget, including RM1 billion for the Ecological Fiscal Transfer, dedicated funding for nature-based solutions, and a commitment to spend at least 1% of the national budget on nature and biodiversity. So, how do the measures announced compare with what’s needed to protect Malaysia’s natural environment? Are we investing enough in conservation, and what more could be done to ensure nature is properly accounted for in the country’s development plans? To help us unpack this, we speak to Dr Jason Hon, Director of Conservation at WWF-Malaysia.

Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.

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Climate change is often described as a gradual process, but there are points where a system can change much more rapidly, and potentially in ways that are difficult or impossible to reverse. These are what scientists call tipping points. They can happen in the climate and natural world, but they can also affect food systems, economies and, ultimately, human health. While we often hear about the risks of crossing these thresholds, there is another side to the idea: positive tipping points, where changes in technology, policy or behaviour can gather momentum and accelerate. So what exactly is a tipping point, how close are we to some of them, and what can we actually do to influence the direction we're heading in? To explore these questions, we speak to Professor Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood, Executive Director of the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health at Sunway University, and Co-Chair of the Global Tipping Points Conference 2026.

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As Budget 2027 approaches, what should Malaysia be investing in to address pollution, climate impacts and the protection of our natural resources? Meenakshi Raman, President of Sahabat Alam Malaysia, discusses environmental funding and enforcement, the rapid growth of data centres and their demand for water and energy, and the need to make polluters more responsible for the damage they cause. We also look at the transboundary haze, corporate responsibility across borders, the protection of Malaysia’s forests, and how federal funding could encourage states to strengthen environmental protection.

Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.

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