Earth Matters

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 Sunda Shelves, an independent bookstore with a passion for wild places and thoughtful reads. This month, together with co-host Surin Suksuwan, the co-founder of Sunda Shelves, we turn our attention to a homegrown series that blends storytelling, folklore, and the natural world. We’re joined by writer and journalist Salhan K Ahmad, author of the Alak books, including Alak in the Hinterland and Alak and the Curse of Jerangau. We discuss the landscapes and ideas that shaped these stories, the books that first sparked his own love of nature, and how fiction can help us see the environment in new ways.

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Across Malaysia, questions about Orang Asli land rights have been back in the headlines, from the detention of villagers in Pahang over a land dispute, to communities facing displacement, environmental damage, and development carried out without meaningful consultation. One of the latest flashpoints is Pulau Carey in Selangor, where the Mah Meri community in Kampung Sungai Kurau says a proposed port expansion could threaten their fishing grounds, cultural heritage, and way of life. We speak with Lanuza Layon, Chairperson of the Kampung Sungai Kurau Village Development and Security Committee, and Sarah Amer, a Community Organiser from Gerimis Art Project, about what is happening on the ground, and what it reveals about the broader struggle for Orang Asli land rights in Malaysia.

Read more about the issue here and here.

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Illegal e-waste is not a new issue in Malaysia, but recent events have brought it back into the headlines in a big way, from enforcement raids to high-profile investigations and new policy measures. In our previous episode, we spoke about the situation here in Malaysia and the recent developments that have brought the e-waste issue into sharp focus. In this second part of our two-part series on Illegal E-Waste in Malaysia, we take a step back and look at the bigger picture, including the global systems that drive the e-waste trade and the longer-term solutions that might help break the cycle. Helping us to unpack these and more are Mageswari Sangaralingam, the Honorary Secretary of both Sahabat Alam Malaysia and the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP), and Wong Pui Yi, a researcher with the Basel Action Network.

Listen to Part 1 HERE.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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Malaysia’s illegal e-waste trade has been making headlines in recent weeks, from major enforcement raids and large seizures at ports to corruption investigations involving senior officials. Authorities say the scale of the problem runs into billions of ringgit, raising serious concerns about pollution, public health, and enforcement gaps. In this first of a two part series on Illegal E-Waste in Malaysia, we take a closer look at what’s been happening with Wong Pui Yi, researcher with the Basel Action Network, and Mageswari Sangaralingam, the Honorary Secretary of both Sahabat Alam Malaysia and the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) to explore these developments, and what they have revealed about the scale of the problem, and also the risks faced by communities and the environment. 

Listen to Part 2 HERE.

Image Credit: Astralis Technology

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Not too far from the heart of Kuala Lumpur, there’s a place where mangroves meet mudflats, migratory birds stop to rest, and silvered leaf monkeys peer down from the trees. The Kuala Selangor Nature Park may be easy to reach, but its importance goes far beyond a weekend escape. In conjunction with World Wetlands Day, we’re taking a closer look at this unique wetland ecosystem, including how it protects coastlines, supports wildlife, and connects people to nature. Joining us to do that are Ng Sean Fong, the Data & Policy Officer at the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), and Vivian Soon, a Wildlife and Conservation Officer, also with the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS).

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Malaysia’s coral reefs are in trouble, and the numbers are getting harder to ignore. Reef Check Malaysia’s latest survey shows that live coral cover has fallen again, marking the third straight year of decline. But what does that actually mean for our oceans, our livelihoods, and our future? We speak to Julian Hyde, the CEO of Reef Check Malaysia, to unpack the findings of their 2025 Annual Survey, and to explore why a major new global agreement, the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, also known as the BBNJ or High Seas Treaty, matters for Malaysia, and the wider ocean.

Image Credit: Reef Check Malaysia

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Nature Reads on Earth Matters is the 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 with a passion for wild places and thoughtful reads. For this month's episode, we speak to Su Mei Toh, a freelance researcher and advisor at Wild Asia. Together with co-host Surin Suksuwan, the co-founder of Sunda Shelves, Su Mei joins us to share more about a selection of books that range from environmental classics and Indigenous knowledge, to science writing and field guides rooted in Malaysia.

Books discussed on this episode include:

1. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

2. Soil and Soul by Alistair McIntosh

3. The Orang Asli and the Contest for Resources by Colin Nicholas

4. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

5. Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky

6. Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez

7. An Immense World by Ed Yong

8. Birds of Malaysia - Lim Kim Seng, Yong Ding Li & Lim Kim Chuah

9. Beyond Mimo's Tree by Abyan Junus-Nishizawa & Farah Landemaine

10. A Naturalist’s Guide to the Trees of Southeast Asia - Saw Leng Guan

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Waste management is something most of us only think about when the bins aren’t collected or when landfills overflow. But behind the scenes, big decisions are being made about how Malaysia deals with its waste, and one solution that keeps coming up is Waste-to-Energy, or WtE. It’s often described as a win-win. Burn the waste, generate electricity, reduce landfills. But critics say the reality is far more complicated, and that these projects come with serious environmental, financial, and health implications. Joining us is Yuenmei Wong, an independent researcher and consultant to UN agencies, who has spent years studying Waste-to-Energy projects in Malaysia and globally, and who has been actively involved in analysing and responding to current proposals here. We discuss the realities, misconceptions, and policy implications of WtE, and also ask the big question: if not this, then what?

Editor's note: The Bukit Nanas hazardous waste plant was modelled after the Danish hazardous waste treatment facility, Kommunekemi, located in Nyborg. It is therefore Danish, not Dutch, as mentioned in the interview. Our apologies for the error.

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Climate change is often discussed in terms of targets, pledges, and long-term plans. But what happens when companies make climate claims that may not be true, and when no government agency steps in to investigate? RimbaWatch has filed what is believed to be the country’s first climate litigation case focused on greenwashing, and we discuss how this landmark legal case could shape how climate claims are regulated in Malaysia. Joining us to explain what this case is about and why it matters is Kuberan Hansrajh Kumaresan, Head of Legal Advocacy at RimbaWatch.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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This story begins almost ten years ago, with durian trees planted patiently and a village waiting for the right time. After hosting only small groups of friends for years, the Semai hosts at Indigenous Tropical Adventure & Homestay or ITAH are now ready to open their doors more widely, with support from Gerimis Art. The experience centres on fruit season, forest life, and cultural exchange, guided by the community themselves. To share more on how this collaboration came about, the Semai hosts, and what visitors can expect, we’re joined by Wendi Sia, the Co-Founder of Gerimis Art.

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