M'sian forests size of Singapore approved for clearing - NGO
Based on the group’s research in 2021, they claimed 86 environmental impact assessments (EIAs) involving forested land were allegedly approved.
They also identified 28 listings of forests for sale and one ongoing...
Environmental group Rimba Disclosure Project (RDP) has alleged that Peninsular Malaysia will see deforestation of up to 72,584.73ha, roughly the size of Singapore, in the near future.
Based on the group’s research in 2021, they claimed 86 environmental impact assessments (EIAs) involving forested land were allegedly approved.
They also identified 28 listings of forests for sale and one ongoing project involving deforestation.
RDP claimed out of the 86 EIAs, 89 percent, or 24973.76ha, were located in forest reserves.
The group alleged that the EIAs included forest plantations (60 EIAs), mining and quarrying (9), palm oil (6), unidentified logging (5), infrastructure (4), and other agriculture (2).
The 28 listings of forests for sale were identified through websites including Mudah.my, iProperty, PropertyGuru, and Facebook.
“These listings include land within forest reserves, Central Forest Spine habitat linkages, and indigenous customary land.
“The most forests for sale are in Pahang (27,900ha), followed by Kelantan (10,411ha), Terengganu (3,631ha), Selangor (264ha), and Perak (202ha).
“Additionally, there is 404ha for sale in an unknown state,” RDP said.
They added that a survey was conducted in February on these sale listings.
Meanwhile, they claimed the “ongoing project” involving deforestation was the Selangor Smart Agro Park which allegedly involves the loss of 970ha of peat swamp forest.
“The Selangor Smart Agro Park is an ongoing project which will allegedly involve the loss of 970ha of peat swamp forest.
“While the development was halted by the Department of Environment due to the lack of an environmental impact assessment (EIA), the project proponent has reiterated that they ‘remain committed’ to implementing the project based on the laws and regulations set by the Selangor government,” RDP said.
Financing deforestation
RDP in its statement alluded the approval of these projects to the support of the financial industry.
They alleged that despite forest plantations being an “unproven business model which are financially unstable”, the government allocated a further RM500 million for the Forest Plantation Development Programme 2021-2025.
They called for the stop of all financing directed at deforestation in line with the theme of Earth Day 2022 which is to “Invest In Our Planet”.
“Deforestation would not be possible without the support of the financial industry.
“The RDP calls on all financial players, particularly commercial financial institutions, Islamic financial institutions, investment funds, and insurance companies to step up and recognise the connections between the biodiversity and climate crisis and urgently end all financial flows towards deforestation,” said RDP.
They called for all activities which will result in forest loss to be placed on an absolute exclusion list, even if such activities were approved by the government.
They also want financial support and insurance for deforestation-linked companies to be halted.
Additionally, the RDP cited a speech by Bank Negara Malaysia governor Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus, warning that “nature-related risks are already presenting a significant threat to our economies and society that can no longer be ignored”.
“According to BNM, through lending to sectors that depend heavily on ecosystem services and which have an impact on nature, the financial system is exposing Malaysia’s economy to significant physical and transition risks.
“Therefore, the RDP hopes that financial actors act on the constellation of warnings transmitted to them from their own regulators, civil society, and the scientific community,” the group added.
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