Govt tries to avoid road projects going through wildlife habitats: Minister

Summary

• Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the government aims to avoid road projects that go through wildlife habitats and has amended the National Forestry Act to strengthen forest protection.

• He noted some projects have been cancelled or altered for conservation, but acknowledged the challenge of balancing development with environmental concerns.

The government will do its best to minimise road construction projects that pass through wildlife habitats, said Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

He said efforts in that direction included amendments to the National Forestry Act in 2022.

“We take note of the views from NGOs calling for the halting of projects in forested areas.

“We are also trying as much as possible to avoid (road construction projects through forests), which is why we amended the National Forestry Act 1984, whereby the degazetting any forest reserves must now involve a public hearing, and if a forest is degazetted, it must be replaced with an area of equal size.

“For me, halting projects that cross wildlife habitats is ideal, and if possible, we really do not want to carry out such projects.

“For example, we have already stopped road projects on the East Coast because they were found to cut through tiger habitats,” he said in an interview with Malaysiakini in Putrajaya yesterday.

Nik Nazmi was responding to calls by RimbaWatch for the government to issue stop-work orders and cancel road construction projects that pass through wildlife habitats.

In a statement on Tuesday, RimbaWatch questioned the Environment Department’s approval of environmental impact assessments for two road projects in Terengganu and Pahang in 2022, involving the construction of a 52km stretch through the Al-Sultan Abdullah Royal Tiger Reserve.

This area has been identified as a key habitat for various wildlife species, including the critically endangered Malayan tiger, melanistic leopard, clouded leopard, marbled cat, golden cat, and leopard cat.

The permanent forest reserve is also home to other endangered species such as the Asian elephant and Malayan tapir.

RimbaWatch’s statement came after an elephant calf was killed in a collision with a lorry on the East-West Highway near the border between Gerik, Perak, and Jeli, Kelantan, recently.

Difficult balance

Commenting further on government efforts, Nik Nazmi, who is also PKR vice-president, said many government projects had already been cancelled in order to protect the natural habitats of various plant and animal species.

“With several infrastructure projects, such as certain highways and the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), we’ve suggested alternative measures where there are wildlife corridors.

“We also cancelled the proposed new airport in Tioman due to biodiversity concerns there.

“However, as a developing country with developmental needs, such projects are sometimes necessary. That’s the dilemma we’re facing,” he said.

The Setiawangsa MP added that the government is also working to improve the effectiveness of measures taken to protect wildlife in the country.

“The East-West Highway has been there for a long time, and there are already wildlife crossings there. But we’re now looking at how to enhance their effectiveness - and for instance, ensuring that food is sufficient at elephant sanctuaries so they don’t have to leave their habitats.

“These are among the things that need to be done at the federal level, with the involvement of state governments as well, since forests and land are under state jurisdiction,” he added.

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