THE PAHANG state government has been ordered to “act more aggressively” in rehabilitating Tasik Chini, following reports that Malaysia risks losing the freshwater lake’s international biosphere reserve status.
The order came from Pahang Regent Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah, who said Tasik Chini must be returned to its “former glory”.
“Rehabilitating Tasik Chini should involve all parties, not just the state government,” he added yesterday (Aug 1), Bernama reported.
“In fact, the current miners and licensees should also give their commitment to making this effort a success.
“I want the glory of Tasik Chini to return to its original purpose, that is to benefit the people and (to maintain its) natural function as a biosphere.”
It was previously reported that Malaysia has two months to justify its plans to nurse Tasik Chini and its surrounding areas back to health – or risk having its biosphere reserve status revoked.
The status, given by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 2009, is aimed at protecting the ecosystem of the Pahang lake and its surrounding areas.
“Rampant mining and logging”
However, years of “rampant mining and logging” have “poisoned its waters” and “stripped away swathes of natural habitat”, according to South China Morning Post (SCMP).
Tasik Chini also no longer meets the criteria to be part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR), following UNESCO’s first periodical review of the lake, Malaysiakini reported.
The review, done every 10 years, attributed this to the reopening of mines in surrounding areas, which resulted in “catastrophic environmental impacts” such as sedimentation, water quality deterioration and river bank degradation.
“Environmental damages” were also caused by rubber plantations and forest areas being turned into oil palm plantations.
Malaysian authorities have been requested to submit a detailed plan for how it plans to nurse Tasik Chini back to health by Sept 30.
According to environmentalists on the ground, their repeated warnings about the lake were “repeatedly ignored” by the Pahang state government.
However, this all changed after a surprise visit by Tengku Hassanal to Tasik Chini last year and a subsequent decree that the surrounding forest reserve be expanded and all mining operations ceased.
Tengku Hassanal, meanwhile, said he would continue making surprise visits to see for himself the situation in the state, as he called on enforcement agents to more frequently conduct patrols.
“There should be no overlooking of environmental crime,” added the oldest living son of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
“All parties, regardless of status and position, should respect and obey the law, whether they are royalty, MPs, politicians, heads of department, civil servants or ordinary people.” – Aug 2, 2022
Main photo credit: Bernama
