Earth Matters

Rising more than 1000m above sea level on the Titiwangsa Range, and straddling the Pahang-Selangor border, Fraser’s Hill is a highland rainforest area that is a popular ecotourism getaway for many, and affectionately known as the little England of Malaysia. There are rumblings that Fraser's Hill might be turned into a state park - though the idea is very early in the development stage - and to brand around 83,000 hectares of land as the Fraser's Hill Forest Complex. What are the pro's and con's of turning the area into a state park, and what considerations must be taken into account before this idea is executed? Two concerned and long-time residents of Fraser's Hill, Nik Jassmin Hew and Sean Yap, who are also the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson respectively of Persatuan Alam dan Warisan Bukit Fraser (PAWBF), join us to share their concerns and ideas.

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The Life and Times of Jenah is a series of three interconnected animated marine educational videos, which aims to spread awareness on the threats facing the marine environment. Written, directed, produced, illustrated, animated and voiced by an all-local team led by Reef Stakes, the series puts the viewer in the fins of Jenah, a black-spotted snapper, that spends portions of her life cycle in three marine ecosystems - mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs. We catch up with animator Maxine Choo, and Tabitha Ow, the voiceover talent for the production, to find out how they are working together with scientists to promote marine environment conservation.

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‘Mummy, Where's My Dorsal Fin?’ follows the adventures of a little Indo-Pacific finless porpoise calf named Aluna and her mother Cheriya, as they explore their beautiful habitat around the Langkawi Archipelago. Described as a story of discovery, learning, and hope in a changing world, the book was also inspired by the natural beauty of Langkawi. We catch up with marine biologist Dr Louisa Ponnampalam, the Chairperson of the MareCet Research Organisation and author of the book, to find out more about the stories that inspired her first children's publication, and how she and other scientists are using writing and the creative arts to spread the message on conservation of the environment.

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The Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC) recently held its 59th Meeting, with the aim to explore and illustrate the options and opportunities for balancing science, conservation and society around the world of tropical biodiversity. Environment writer and co-founder of environmental journalism portal Macaranga, Law Yao Hua, was in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, for the meetings, and joins us to share more about what went down last week, some exciting advances in tropical biology research, and how the declaration has called for practical solutions for a climate-resilient future.

Image Credit: Macaranga

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The RM5 billion Nenggiri Hydroelectric Project located in Kelantan is expected to supplement renewable energy for Malaysia, and also potentially generate 2,000 new jobs, on top of mitigating flood issues in the state. But for the Orang Asli in Gua Musang who call the area home, the project will submerge up to 5,834 hectares of forest that are their cultural lands, and force them to leave their homeland. They also believe the mega dam project will erase the historical trace of Orang Asli Temiar in West Malaysia, among many other issues. We speak to lawyer Seira Sacha Abu Bakar, the Chairperson of the Committee on Orang Asli Rights for the Malaysian Bar, for updates about the project, including how the recent Nenggiri archaeological excavation works by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) unearthed artefacts including skeletal remains dating back 14000 years, making the site older than where the Perak Man was found.

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Myles Storey is a wildlife filmmaker, who has worked on productions with the BBC, World Animal Protection, and Roots & Shoots Malaysia, among others. Keen to tell stories that can impact our relationship with nature, Myles produced and directed Finding Solo, a documentary about the last white-handed gibbon in Bukit Serdang, and he was also the wildlife videographer and director of the documentary Wang Kelian - The Forgotten Valley. Myles joins us to share more about his work in filming untold conservation stories from Malaysia, and also to discuss how wildlife filmmaking can be a powerful tool for wildlife conservation.

Image Credit: Facebook

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An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for a new international airport on Pulau Tioman has been made public and is now open for review and comments from the public - plans include 141.6ha of reclamation, moving corals, and quarrying. Pulau Tioman is known for its beautiful beaches, and the island hosts three related marine ecosystems: coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves. Visitors head to Tioman in search of nature-related adventures, and tourism on islands has a huge economic impact and importance. But locals, environmentalists and conservationists are concerned with this proposed new airport, as they believe it will not only negatively impact the ecosystems there, but also that the existing social infrastructure is insufficient for the increased tourist numbers that will come with a new airport. Should we be investing in large-scale tourism infrastructure in this current environment, or should we be looking long term, and preparing our tourism destinations for a different reality: small groups; authentic experiences; peace and quiet? We discuss this and more with Julian Hyde, the General Manager of Reef Check Malaysia.

Image Credit: MEMBERHS / Shutterstock.com

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As June draws to an end, we speak to Law Yao Hua, co-founder of environmental journalism portal Macaranga, to discuss the top environmental news of the month past. We discuss how it has been estimated that there are RM809bil worth of rare earths in Malaysia, making it a hot commodity for state governments to pursue - can this industry be developed sustainably and responsibly? We also discuss the EIA report of a proposed new Tioman Island International Airport which is now up for review, looking at the many concerns about the development, and its projected impacts to the island, before finally looking forward to activities lined up for World Tiger Day on the 29th of July.

Image Credit: OlliverQueen / Shutterstock.com

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Tak Kenal Maka Tak Cinta is our monthly tourism-themed series on Earth Matters, which aims to highlight lesser-known ecotourism spots right here in Malaysia. Done in collaboration with the Ecotourism & Conservation Society Malaysia (ECOMY), we want to take you back to the great outdoors, and experience the many off-the-beaten-track nature spots our country has to offer. 

For this episode, we're heading to Merapoh, a small town in Lipis, Pahang, which is located next to the Pahang-Kelantan border. Merapoh is one of the lesser used entrances to Taman Negara National Park, and is a popular spot for spelunking activities, and is also known for its karst landscape. We explore the teeming biodiversity, trails, and waterways of this area with Andrew Sebastian, the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of ECOMY.

Listen to our previous episodes in the series:

Episode 1: Kuala Tahan

Episode 2: Pulau Bangau in Teluk Intan

Episode 3: Bukit Batu Putih in Port Dickson

Episode 4: The Sultan Iskandar Marine Park & More

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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In the 1950's, it was estimated that Malaysia had as many as 3000 tigers in the wild. In 2022, that number had dwindled to an estimated 150.  Is there still a chance to save our Malayan tiger? The answer is yes, and the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (MYCAT) are spearheading several grassroots efforts which involve individuals playing their part in the conservation of our amazing tigers, including the Rewilding Yu programme, and the CAT Walk and CSR CAT Walk. We speak to Muna Noor, a Conservation Officer with MYCAT to find out more about how we all play a part in reversing the decline of the Malayan Tiger.

Image Credit: Suzalinur Manja Bidin @ MYCAT

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