I refer to the letter Policies turning turtle in Terengganu .

I thank Fahri Azzat for his thorough expos of the demise of the leatherback turtles in Terengganu. He has not left many loopholes through which the authorities can weave their usual denials.

It is sad enough that one magnificent species is all but extinct, but it is really tragic and depressing that the same scenario affects almost our entire natural heritage the rainforests, wetlands, highlands, the rivers and the seas, and the rich and often unique flora and fauna which inhabit each of them. In addition, as many people know, the loss of a single species has a destructive impact on the entire ecology in which it existed, meaning that much more is lost than that individual species.

As many people are now aware, too, our natural environment is a treasure trove of sustainable resources food, medicines and many others, and an incredibly rich pool of genetic material, the possible uses and benefits of which are still being researched and discovered. A responsible government will surely take adequate measures to ensure that all this is not squandered.

In fairness to the authorities entrusted with protecting the environment, we should acknowledge that their officers are too few, often underpaid, and inadequately trained, in sharp contrast to the poachers and others who rape our natural resources. But once again this boils down to the political will of the present government - if the government is sincere in its commitment to protect the environment, it must allocate the funds necessary to do it because half-baked measures are not much better than none at all in terms of effectiveness.

Fahri has pointed out the devastation caused by pervasive corruption. If enforcement officers were well-paid and their role valued, they would be less tempted to risk losing their jobs for short-term gain. The government keeps saying it is serious in its efforts to stamp out corruption, but what we see on the ground is consistent protection of even the blatantly corrupt. There is clearly a comfortable back-scratching arrangement between a considerable number of the enforcement officers and their political patrons. Is this what we hope for from those who run the country?

Malaysia has an impressive pool of experts in many fields connected to environmental conservation, including viable plans for sustainable development, plans which allow economic exploitation without destroying the basic structures. The Malaysian Nature Society, and the WWF Malaysia in particular, are running some very successful projects in partnership with the federal and some state governments.

The economic benefits resulting from these initiatives have been shared much more equitably, including ensuring that the government is not deprived of its legitimate revenues, and is not saddled with the huge expense of trying to repair the environment after it has been destroyed.

At the same time, the continuing health and productivity of the environment is ensured. The only losers are a handful of greedy individuals who would like to take huge and immediate profits at the expense of the majority of Malaysians now and in the future.

While it is primarily the responsibility of the government to conserve our environment, it is clear that they will not be moved to do so unless there is strong pressure from the public. We must all care enough about our own welfare and future to make the effort to apply such pressure. Each of us must play a role, whether individually or as a member of a group.

We must monitor what goes on, publicising any abuse which occurs; and we can play our part in projects to protect and nurture the environment. Every voice counts, every helping hand is valuable. The destruction is going on all over the country. We can each of us be active in our own local community.

Most countries which now have impressive records in environmental conservation owe them to civil society which forced the hand of their governments until it became a permanent habit, to the lasting benefit of their nations. Why don't we follow their example?