Earth Matters

Whether it’s land development, conservation, or cultural survival, Indigenous peoples are often the last to be consulted, if at all. Yet they’re also the ones with the most at stake. Free, Prior and Informed Consent, or FPIC, is meant to ensure that Indigenous communities have the right to say yes or no to decisions that affect their lands, resources, and ways of life. But how often is that right respected in practice? And what does meaningful consent really look like on the ground? Ahead of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, we speak with three individuals working to uphold Indigenous rights through education, culture, and advocacy: Major Kalam Pie, an Orang Asli educator and co-founder of Jungle School Gombak, Sandra Trinata, a Bidayuh artisan and cultural advocate from Serikin, Sarawak, and Gabriel Hii, the co-chair of the Sarawak CSO-SDG Alliance.

Image credit: Fartul Iqwan, Jungle School Gombak, Sandra Trinata

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Malaysia is among the top importers of plastic waste in the developing world, and plastic pollution is choking not just our landfills, but our rivers, seas, and communities. From ghost nets floating in our oceans to microplastics in our drinking water, plastic pollution is no longer just an environmental issue, it’s a human health crisis and an economic threat. As governments meet to finalise a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty in Geneva this August, Malaysian civil society groups have issued a memorandum urging our leaders to take a stronger stand. We speak with Wong Pui Yi, a researcher from the Basel Action Network, and Rachel Thompson, the Manager of Scuba Junkie SEAS, about what’s at stake in these treaty talks, and why it matters for everyday Malaysians.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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What does it take to turn a tin mine into a rainforest, and then get the world to recognise it as a treasure worth protecting? That’s exactly what Malaysia has achieved with the Forest Research Institute Malaysia, or FRIM, which was just named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Joining us today to tell us more about this incredible journey is Encik Mahmudin Saleh, FRIM’s Deputy Director General of Operations.

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Every month, we catch up with Law Yao Hua and Wong Siew Lyn, the co-founders of environmental journalism portal Macaranga, to chat about the biggest environmental news making waves in Malaysia. July gave us everything from new rules on plastic waste, to a major wildlife crime bust, to the return of that all-too-familiar haze. Yao Hua and Siew Lyn join us to share the 411.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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Nature Reads on Earth Matters is a show where we explore the stories behind books that bring us closer to nature and the world around us. Every month, we team up with the good folks at Sunda Shelves, an independent bookstore and café with a passion for wild places and thoughtful reads. This month, together with co-host Dylan Jefri Ong (co-founder, Sunda Shelves), we speak to Azamuddeen Nasir, a passionate nature communicator and PhD researcher at Monash University Malaysia. Known online as AnakUmiSukaHutan, Azam creates engaging Malay-language content about Malaysia’s forests, wildlife, and lesser-known ecosystems like peat swamps, bringing science and conservation to life for a wider audience through humour, storytelling, and lived experience. He joins us to share some of his favourite nature reads.

Books discussed during this episode:

1. Fishes of Tasik Bera Pahang - Amirrudin b. Ahmad, Muhammad Fahmi-Ahmad, Mohd Aqmal-Naser, Syed Ahmad Rizal Tuan Nek, Zahar Azuar Zakaria, Mohd Ilham Norhakim Lokman, Muhammad Rasul Abdullah Halim, Intan Faraha A. Ghani, Md. Zain Khaironizam & Mohammad Noor Amal Azmai

2. An Introduction to the Land Snails and Slugs of Malaysia – Thor-Seng Liew and Junn-Kitt Foon

3. A Field Guide to the Mammals of Thailand and South East Asia – Charles M. Francis

4. A Field Guide to the Reptiles of South East Asia – Indraneil Das

5. Butterflies of Peninsular Malaysia – Rosli Omar, Azidah Abdul Aziz, and Sofwan Badrud’din

6. A Handbook on the Peat Swamp Flora of Peninsular Malaysia – I. Faridah-Hanum, Shamsul Khamis, and Khali Aziz Hamzah

7. A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore – Allen Jeyarajasingan

8. Ferns of Malaysia In Colour – A. G. Piggott

9. Handbook and National Red-List of the Freshwater Mussels of Malaysia – Alexandra Zieritz and Manuel Lopes-Lima

10. A Photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand – Merel J. Cox, Peter Paul Van Dijk, Jarujin Nabhitabatha, and Kumthorn Thirakh

11. Fishes of the Freshwater Ecosystems of Peninsular Malaysia – Mohd Zakaria-Ismail, A. Fatimah, and M. Z. Khaironizam

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The Malaysian Food Sovereignty Forum has raised the alarm over proposed changes to two key agricultural laws: the Protection of New Plant Varieties Act and the Plant Seed Quality Bill. These two important laws affecting agriculture are set for debate in Parliament, but are the right people being heard? The Malaysian Food Sovereignty Forum says no, pointing to a lack of engagement with farmers and civil society. We speak to FKMM Coordinator Nurfitri Amir Bin Muhammad about the implications of the proposed changes, and their call for greater transparency and consultation before any legislative changes move forward. Amir is also a paddy farmer himself, and the Secretary of Pertubuhan Persaudaraan Pesawah Malaysia (PeSAWAH).

Image Credit: Malaysian Food Sovereignty Forum’s Facebook

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The world is trying to craft a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution, but not everyone agrees on what that should look like. As INC-5.2 negotiations resume in Geneva this August to hammer out The Global Plastics Treaty, deep divides remain over issues like plastic production, financing, and equity. Who’s pulling the strings, what’s stalling progress, and why does it matter for all of us? We speak to Arpita Bhagat (Plastic Policy Officer, GAIA Asia Pacific) and Rayhan Dudayev (Senior Regional Campaign Strategist (Legal & Political), Greenpeace Southeast Asia) to dive into the politics, power plays, and potential of the global plastics treaty.

Image Credit: UNEP / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

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Melaka’s coastline is facing a transformation of unprecedented scale. A massive land reclamation project spanning over 1,100 hectares is being proposed under the Straits of Melaka Waterfront Economic Zone (SM-WEZ), touted to bring billions in investment and thousands of jobs. But the push for development is being met with growing resistance. Environmentalists, fisherfolk, and local communities warn of devastating ecological and economic consequences, from the loss of vital turtle nesting sites to the worsening of flood risks. We speak with Martin Theseira, the Chairman of Save Our Seashores Melaka, and Frits van Walsem, the Director of Sail and Science Sdn. Bhd. to understand what’s really at stake.

Image Credit: Frits van Walsem / mataburung.com

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A quiet but crucial battle is playing out over something we often overlook - seeds. Proposed changes to Malaysia’s Protection of New Plant Varieties Act could shift seed rights away from small farmers and into the hands of multinational companies. To help us understand what this means for farmers, food prices, and even our national seed sovereignty, we’re joined by Chee Yoke Ling, the Executive Director of the Third World Network.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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What do a mudflat at dawn, an endangered seahorse, and climate action have in common? More than you’d expect. We speak to Vincent Tan, who recently wrote about his journey to the Merambong seagrass meadow, and Wong Jieyi, a Project Manager from Save Our Seahorses, about how this tiny fish is anchoring big conversations around conservation, public participation, and sustainable development.

Image Credit: Vincent Tan / Macaranga

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