Earth Matters

Parti Hijau Malaysia or the Green Party of Malaysia is the new kid on the block, focussed on highlighting environmental issues in Malaysia, and protecting forest reserves. Highly vocal on issues surrounding the degazettement of forest reserves in Selangor, the party is hoping that the Registrar of Societies (ROS) will approve their application before the next Selangor state election is called, so they can contest in the upcoming polls. We speak to Abdul Razak Ismail, the pro-tem secretary-general of the Green Party of Malaysia, and former secretary of the PKR veterans’ group Otai Reformis 1998, about the issues they are championing, with a focus on the Bukit Cherakah and Bukit Lagong forest reserves.

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We kick off a new ecotourism-centred series on Earth Matters - Tak Kenal Maka Tak Cinta - which aims to highlight lesser-known ecotourism spots right here in Malaysia. Done in collaboration with the Ecotourism & Conservation Society of Malaysia (ECOMY) the series aims to shine a spotlight on lesser-known ecotourism spots right here in Malaysia, that will take you on off-the-beaten-track nature adventures.

In our first episode, we explore the hidden delights that the areas surrounding Kuala Tahan has to offer, including nature walks, wildlife tracking, bird-watching, a visit to an Orang Asli village, and river tubing. Helping us to explore the great Tahan outdoors is Andrew Sebastian, the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of ECOMY.

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Back in 2015, wildlife researcher Dr Ravinder Kaur and wildlife photographer Sanjitpaal Singh set up the social enterprise Explore GAIA, to conserve the hornbills of Malaysia. Explore GAIA, together with the NGO Hutan, are currently the only groups providing nesting opportunities for endangered hornbills in Malaysia, and they have been searching for natural nesting sites of endangered hornbills, monitoring and protecting active nests and innovating artificial nest boxes. In a love-themed Earth Matters special in the spirit of Valentine's Day, we catch up with this award-winning couple in conservation for progress updates on their work, and we also talk about all things hornbills, in conjunction with Love Hornbills Day, celebrated annually on the 13th of February.

Image Credit: Sanjitpaal Singh/JITSPICS.COM©”

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Late last month, the Federal Court in a landmark decision, quashed a hillside development that was issued by the local authority in Penang. Federal Court judge Nallini Pathmanathan who wrote the unanimous decision, ruled that Section 22(2A) says that the development affecting hill tops or hill slopes is no longer merely an issue of local state governance, but is also a federal and national issue. What does this all mean, and how will this ruling impact other hillslope development plans around the country? We speak to Datuk Dr Gurdial Singh Nijar, an advocate and solicitor who represented the Sg Ara residents who won the case after a decade long battle, to discuss the implications of this landmark decision, and why it's a win for environmental law.

Image Credit: Sahabat Alam Malaysia

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It was World Wetlands Day on the 2nd of February, and we wanted to give props to the many underrated habitats that fall under the category of wetlands, which are described as the most productive ecosystems in the world. Previously, we spoke about what wetlands are, but in this second episode of our two-part special, we discuss threats that continuously degrade these habitats, but also solutions on how to conserve and protect remaining wetlands. Joining us to do this is Dr. Ahmad Aldrie Amir, a Senior Lecturer and Research Fellow at the Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI) at UKM, and he is also the coordinator of the Malaysian Mangrove Research Alliance and Network (MyMangrove). 

*Listen to Part 1 here.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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We catch up on some of the top environmental news of January 2023, with the co-founders of environmental journalism portal, Macaranga. This month, we first discuss the implications of a Federal Court ruling which ruled in favour of Sungai Ara residents, who challenged the Penang island city council’s (MBPP) decision to grant planning permission to a developer to build a housing scheme on a hillslope. Next, we turn our attention to The Guardian's investigation of Verra Carbon offsets, which claimed that "more than 90% of rainforest carbon offsets by the biggest provider are worthless." Finally, we look ahead to the retabling of Budget 2023, and discuss what possible allocations might be given to the environment.

Image Credit: Wikimedia/Creative Commons & Shutterstock

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February 2nd marks World Wetlands Day, and 2023's theme is “It’s Time for Wetlands Restoration,” highlighting the urgent need to prioritise wetland restoration. Though they are called bogs, swamps, marshes, and a host of other unappealing names, wetlands are the most productive ecosystems in the world, and exist in every country and in every climatic zone. In a two-part special, we take a deep dive and discuss all things wetlands with Dr. Ahmad Aldrie Amir, a Senior Lecturer and Research Fellow, at the Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI) at UKM, who is also the coordinator of the Malaysian Mangrove Research Alliance and Network (MyMangrove). In this first episode, we discuss what constitutes a wetland, the invaluable services provided by these ecosystems, and some of the wetlands found right here in Malaysia.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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Standing at 291m, Bukit Dinding is described as one of the last green fortresses in Kuala Lumpur, and is a popular recreational spot for many. Back in late 2022 though, news broke that two blocks of 26-storey condominiums will be built there, even though the area has been known to be landslide-prone, and has an underground water source at the hill. Residents around the area and others opposing the development filed for a Judicial Review on the project last December, and are keeping up the fight to keep this green lung intact. We speak to Sri Utami Dewi, the Secretary of the Section 5 Taskforce to get some updates on the case. 

If you would like to support the initiative to protect Bukit Dinding, you may assist in the fundraising efforts of the Friends of Bukit Dinding here.

Image Credit: Facebook/Friends of Bukit Dinding

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Hazen Audel is a biologist, TV presenter, and natural history guide, who is Kootenai and Salish Native American and Greek by descent. He founded The Wild Classroom, a non-profit online web-series offering teachers and students quality, natural history educational videos for use in the classroom and home. As the host of National Geographic's Primal Survivor series, he has documented many adventures and tales of survivalism, and his experiences living with and working alongside indigenous people in remote regions of the world. He joins us to share more about his travels and adventures, how he went from teacher to survivalist, and some of the important lessons he has learnt from connecting with indigenous communities from around the world.

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The Swap Project (TSP) was launched in late 2018 by Jayda Chong and Jamie Choy, two young women who "are passionate about sustainability in a fashionable way". Fashion of course has a huge environmental cost, and it's estimated that the fashion industry is currently responsible for more annual carbon emissions than all international flights and maritime shipping, combined. How can pre-loved clothing swap-meets like The Swap Project make a change in the way we think about fashion and our personal consumption? We speak to Jayda about this and more.

Image Credit: Facebook/The Swap Project

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