Category: Environment EN

Today environmental and civil society groups on five continents warned that plans to release non-native strains of genetically modified (GM) flies in olive fields in Spain and fruit orchards in Brazil pose major risks to crops and the environment, as pesticide resistance or other harmful traits could spread into wild pest populations. The UK-based company Oxitec plans to release GM olive flies in...

CAP disagrees with the decision and announcement made by the Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob,  that the government will enforce a ban on trawl net mesh size of 38mm and below to save marine species and fish fries from becoming extinct. It is reported that the enforcement will begin in November and involves 6,116 trawl vessels of Class B, C and C2...

The scarred hill of Bukit Relau serves as a reminder to Penangites on how a developer can escape by paying a puny fine of RM30,000 despite causing environmental destruction. Sahabat Alam Malaysia had pursued the matter with the Public Prosecutor and the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) suggesting that the company, General Accomplishment Sdn. Bhd., should have been charged under Section 19...

We read with apprehension the solutions proposed by the Malaysian government to manage the increasing volume of solid waste in the country. The government has proposed building of three large-scale incinerators with the capacity of 1,000 tonnes of waste per day in Taman Beringin, Kuala Lumpur; Bukit Payung, Johor; and Sungai Udang, Malacca. It was reported that Malaysians produced 33,000 tonnes...

On 11 July 2013, General Accomplishment Sdn. Bhd., the company that was charged with illegal hill clearing and earthworks in Bukit Relau, Penang was fined RM30,000.  The judge gave an impassioned speech about the need to send a strong message against illegal hill clearing and destruction of the environment but the fine imposed by him does not send such a message. The company was charged under...

SAM is concerned that more PRFs in Perak will be excised Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) is extremely sad that another Permanent Reserved Forest (PRF) in Perak i.e. Bikam Reserve Forest (HS Bikam) located in the District of Batang Padang has been excised. According to the excision gazette of 29 May 2013, the area excised is about 495.5 hectares which makes up what remained of the HS Bikam after being...

CAP and Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) urge the state government of Penang to cancel the proposed implementation an aquaculture project in Penaga, Seberang Perai Utara (SPU) because of its potential impacts to the environment and local livelihoods.  The aquaculture project would destroy mangrove forests, pollute the sea, threaten fisheries resources and livelihood of coastal fishers, besides...

MPPP Councillor and NGO representative Dr. Lim Mah Hui expresses grave concern about the destruction of hill-land for property development done in full view of the authorities to the MPPP at a Full Council Meeting on 31 May 2013. It is with a heavy heart that I am addressing the council on this topic. Two days ago, a section of a so-called retaining wall in Bukit Gambier collapsed. We are...