Forests in Malaysia lack protection from the authorities when priority is given to development rather than its preservation and the protection of threatened and endangered species, Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) president SM Mohd Idris highlighted in a statement today.

"It seems no forest in Malaysia can be protected and that no local official can be held accountable. It is worrying to see state governments and developers turning state land and forest reserves into housing and highways. Clearly there is little or no transparency in the way that land and development deals are processed," he stressed.

Mohd Idris' statement came after news of tapirs from the Bukit Cerakah forest Reserve in Selangor were forced on to the Shah Alam-Puncak Alam highway and the relocation of trapped tapirs to a former rhino breeding centre in the Sungai Dusun wildlife reserve.

"This highlights the crisis faced by Malaysian wildlife today where they are hemmed in by development projects from all sides," he said.

In looking at protection laws, Mohd Idris claimed that "state governments cannot be trusted with land matters as they have this unhealthy habit of changing land status without the consent of the Federal Government, as they are scrutinised less.

"When seeking to change the functions of wildlife reserves, the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 requires state authorities to refer to the ministry. Instead the law is made a mockery of by the offenders who flout it."

Road casualties

The SAM chief found it appalling that decision makers and those entrusted with the planning and design of highway projects lack understanding and awareness of the need for preservation of the natural environment and wildlife.

"Roads are inevitable in our race towards becoming a developed nation. Sadly, development and road construction in or near wildlife reserves and forested areas do not have either buffer zones or corridors to provide links to other sites." he observed.

"As a result, wildlife end up on our roads as roads casualties or 'road kills'. Roads eventually lead to further fragmentation and loss of viable habitats.

Rapid development has caused several tapirs to be killed on highways. Since 2002, four were killed along the Shah-Alam-Puncak Alam highway and one along the Tanjung Malim-Rawang highway.

Mohd Idris is heartened to note that there is a proposal from the Selangor Wildlife Director of an Environment Impact assessment (EIA) to be conducted for development projects in areas under 40 hectares and recommendations that developers opening up forested areas be made to contribute towards the translocation fund.

Understand ecosystem

At present, the Environment Quality Act 1974 requires that an EIA be done for project areas larger than 40 hectares.

"The translocation of wildlife should be considered when the needs of development make opening up of the jungle unavoidable, as in the case of dams" he pointed out.

To reconcile the demands of human development with the tolerance of nature, policy makers must understand the vulnerabilities and resilience of the ecosystem.

"Governments, local communities, research centres, businesses and private individuals should put an ecosystem approach into practice in the policies they pursue, the projects undertaken and their day-to-day operations." he determined.

The acquisition of knowledge concerning the significance and modes of sustainable development of natural resources is of paramount importance to the nations future development.

Therefore, said Mohd Idris, development initiative will be self-defeating and socially destructive unless the structure, functions and diversity of the nation's system are understood and judiciously protected.