Protect Gunung Kanthan's unique biodiversity, NGOs urge Perak govt

A coalition of environmental groups today urged the Perak government to protect the limestone hills of Gunung Kanthan from quarrying, warning that the activity is threatening the area’s unique biodiversity.

At a press conference in Ipoh, the groups, led by Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM), said the limestone hills form part of the Kinta Valley National Geopark, where endemic flora and fauna face the risk of extinction as a cement manufacturer extracts raw materials from the area.

“Our biggest concern is that once the operator extracts the limestone and removes the hill, the geopark status could be withdrawn.

“If that happens, the biodiversity found there, whether flora or fauna, will automatically be threatened and will eventually become extinct,” said SAM field officer Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman.

The coalition also comprises the Perak branch of the Malaysian Nature Society, Preservation of National Heritage Malaysia, and Greenpeace Malaysia. Meanwhile, environmental expert Maketab Mohamed is an adviser to the Save Gunung Kanthan campaign.

Meor said research had identified 11 endemic flora and fauna species in the limestone hills, six of which are classified as critically endangered.

Endemic species are plants or animals that live in only one specific geographic place on Earth and nowhere else.

They include the prehistoric Liphistius kanthanensis (trapdoor spider), Cyrtodactylus guakanthanensis (bent-toed gecko), Meiogyne kanthanensis flowering tree, Gymnostachyum kanthanensis flowering herb, and the Vatica kanthanensis hardwood tree.

“The presence of these endemic species, particularly those of critical conservation value, is another reason the state authorities should give a firm commitment to preserving and maintaining Gunung Kanthan,” he added.

Preserving heritage

The call to preserve Gunung Kanthan comes days after Buddhist monks from the Sakyamuni Cave Monastery urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to help save their place of worship from demolition.

The century-old monastery is built into the limestone caves of Gunung Kanthan, which lies within Anwar’s Tambun constituency, and has long been at the centre of a dispute over quarrying activities in the area.

In September 2023, cement manufacturer Associated Pan Malaysia Cement Sdn Bhd reportedly won a court appeal to evict the monastery from the land.

Heritage and conservation groups have opposed its removal, citing the monastery’s cultural significance and Gunung Kanthan’s unique ecosystem.

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