Mangrove affords natural protection

Published in The Star on 22 December 2007

WE refer to “Wrath of nature” (The Star, Dec 20) which has an alarming sentence at the beginning of the story: Mother Nature is fighting back.

Half of our country is affected by floods as the year ends. To date, the floods have claimed 29 lives. Last year, the Government spent RM1bil on flood aid.

Our Prime Minister is right to say that Malaysians must consider the effects of climate change, which might bring about heavier rainfall. It is also true that we really need to review all existing development plans and to come out with a long-term measure to overcome the perennial problem of flooding.

Unplanned development is the main cause of the serious environment degradation and it always exacerbates the consequences of natural disasters. If we blame climate change today, we also need to look at what we have done in facing the challenges of climate change.

Unfortunately, in the Sungai Pulai estuary, in south Johor, we are going to witness the destruction of 2,255 acres of pristine mangrove forest, equivalent to 913 soccer fields.

Instead of preserving a natural flood barrier, this gift from Mother Nature is to give way to petrochemical and maritime industries.

Taking the example of Sungai Johor, where heavy development and significant loss of mangroves are significant, its water retention capacity has been greatly reduced, which probably worsened the flooding in Kota Tinggi.

To prevent a similar catastrophe at Sungai Pulai, which might affect Pontian and Gelang Patah districts, we should ask ourselves whether such mega development would exceed the carrying capacity of the river.

Is it worth the short-term economic gains or paying the price for environmental cause, human lives and properties loss in the long run?

The pursuit of economic growth should not be at the expense of the mangrove areas around Sungei Pulai, which is so crucial to prevent coastal erosion and provide protection from strong winds and waves to 11,000 people living in 38 villages.

The area also has the largest sea grass bed and the densest seahorse population in the country, as well as dugong population, and has become such a unique natural heritage, we cannot afford to lose.

THING SIEW SHUEN,
Secretary,
Save Our Seahorses (SOS) Action Committee.

What the hell are they doing?

Read here:

PLEASE UMNO, TELL ME THIS IS NOT TRUE.

NGOs have also stopped cooperating with the UMNO run Bilik Gerakan after a very sad and disgusting incident. Staffers from different NGOs had accompanied some of the food and other flood aid from the Bilik Gerakan to some villages. At one particular badly hit area, people of all races, i.e. Chinese, Indians and Malays, lined up to get the food. However, the UMNO 'volunteers' informed the people very crudely that the food and other flood aid was only for the Malays. The Indians and Chinese did not get any. The staffers from the NGOs which included Indians, Chinese and Malays were shocked and left in disgust.

In another estate area with almost 600 Indian flood victims, the UMNO 'volunteers' delivered just one sack of rice to be shared by 600 Indian estate workers and their children. The sack of rice was left at a flood relief centre located in a Tamil primary school near the estate. Then the estate workers were asked to initial a list acknowledging that they had received a complete set of flood supplies (rice, oil, canned food, sugar, salt, bottled water and blankets). Obviously the remaining supplies had been hijacked by the UMNO 'volunteers' and sold off for cash elsewhere.

Many of the Indian estate women became hysterical and screamed how 600 people were going to share one bag of rice. The next day when other volunteers went to the same Tamil school, the Indian women screamed at them and said 'Melayu jangan mari tolong lagi'.

In other places the aid was given to UMNO members only. Other Malays, especially known Pas supporters, were denied aid. These stories are not being made up. They are first hand reports from Pahang that were told to us by flood relief workers themselves. (NST, STAR, not allowed to print these reports....you had no reporters on ground zero?)

In another area, about 250 Orang Asli were promised 50kg bags of rice. This was clearly a false promise because most of the rice was delivered in 5kg or 10kg bags. The rice destined for the 250 Orang Asli was despatched by the Bilik Gerakan but it never reached the Orang Asli. When the UMNO ADUN from the area visited the Orang Asli the next day and inquired if they had all 'sudah makan', they jeered him and said 'awak semua penipu'. Again the rice had been hijacked by the UMNO 'volunteers' and siphoned off elsewhere.

For the first seven days of the floods, the Member of Parliament for Temerloh, YB Mohd Sarit bin Haji Yusoh (Tel. No. 03 - 77266005 and 03- 7726 4468, address: Pangkal Melati Sdn Bhd, No 18-1, Jalan Wan Kadir 4, Off Jalan Damansara Bypass, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur), Anwar Ibrahim's one-time political secretary who became a millionaire within a couple of years, was missing from Temerloh. He had not visited any of the flood affected areas. Flood victims put up a banner in the Temerloh area asking 'YB where are you?' This banner was later torn down by the Police. All this news was not reported by the mainstream media.

The Chinese MCA ADUN from Mentakab has been one of the few Wakil Rakyat doing the rounds diligently in the flood affected areas. The Malay UMNO ADUNs have made themselves scarce or helping themselves to the loot from the Bilik Gerakan.

Because of the dishonesty and outright stealing by the UMNO 'volunteers', flood victims are very angry and tensions have been high in the affected areas. The mainstream media have not reported that when Fu Ah Kiow, Deputy Internal Security Minister and MP for Kuantan, visited the affected areas, the flood victims screamed and threw stones at him. The Deputy Minister had to leave the scene in a hurry. (Just like Samy was booed off the stage in Penang.....MCA & MIC.....that's two down for a start .)

We have just gone thru two religious festivals Hari Raya Haji and Christmas and we are touted as a God fearing country who look askance at anything irreligious like necking, petting, holding hands in public, groping, close proximity, fornicating, incest, buggery, statutory rapes etc, etc, Now we have people in UMNO who rob the distressed of what is their due in such trying times.

YOU DACHING PARTY, WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO SAY ABOUT THIS? WHERE DID YOU HIRE THOSE GOONS FROM? YOU GUYS CAN RIP (rest in peace)? ME I WILL HAVE TROUBLE SLEEPING PEACEFULLY. PROBABLY I AM ABNORMAL. POSSIBLY.

Lesson learnt: Do not channel your donations to any political parties....they could channel it to their campaign. Give your donation in kind to the trustworthy:

The rape of the silent majority!!

A very good article written by Marina Mahathir :How Dare They Insult Us!! http://rantingsbymm.blogspot.com/2007/12/how-dare-they-insult-us.html

PM: Silent majority have spoken : we don't want demos

By ZULKIFLI ABD RAHMAN

PETALING JAYA: The silent majority of Malaysians have spoken up and they want a stop to street demonstrations which disrupt people's lives and cause disharmony among the country's multi-racial population .

Who are these "Silent majority"?

Global Solidarity

Press Statement by Thing Siew Shuen, Environmental Officer to DAP Secretary-General on 10.12.2007

We call for tough action to tackle climate change and express our solidarity with people all around the world who have been affected by global warming and climate injustice.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which was recently awarded the Nobel peace prize, reported of “unequivocal” climate change already occurring and warned that man-made global warming could lead to abrupt or irreversible impacts. In this respect, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCC), which held in Bali from 3-14 December, has become an extremely vital event, because decisions taken in Bali can determine the fate of the planet, particularly the poor and the vulnerable.

In order to have better understanding on how international financial institutions (IFIs) such as the World Bank addresses climate change, and the impacts of different mitigation and adaptation measures to the planet and the people, we have participated in an International Conference on “Linking Global Finance, International Financial Institutions, and Debt to Energy and Climate Change” in Bali(5-7 Dec). We have also taken part in the Global Day of Action on Climate Change on 8 Dec to express our solidarity with people all around the world who have been affected by global warming and climate injustice.

The conference was organized by the Jubilee South - Asia/Pacific Movement on Debt & Development (JS-APMDD), in cooperation with : Friends of the Earth International, Greenpeace International, Oil Change International, Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR), WALHI – Indonesia, Koalisi Anti-Utang (KAU),International Forum for Indonesian Development (INFID), GARPU, KRUHA, GCAP SENCA.

We have signed the Bali Declaration on International Financial Institutions, Debt and Climate Change on December 8, 2007 in Sanur, Bali. The full contents of the declaration are as below:

“We, debt and development activists from different social movements and non-government organizations from Asia-Pacific join the growing calls of the international community to decisively address the paramount issue of climate change.

The climate crisis is the most blatantly repulsive result of a flawed development paradigm imposed on us by global institutions, northern governments and transnational corporations with the acquiescence and collaboration of our local elites and neo-liberal economic apologists

We assert that debt has been used not only as an instrument to dominate government and peoples of the South but also to finance projects and promote policies that have greatly contributed to the exacerbation and escalation of climate change.

We call on international financial institutions like the IMF, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and other regional development banks, northern governments and their export credit agencies - TO STOP ALL FUNDING AND ALL PROGRAMS THAT HARM PEOPLES and the ENVIRONMENT.

We reject all IFI loans and “aid” supposedly for adaptation measures and renewable energies as hypocritical measures - when these same institutions continue to promote a development framework and pour several times more of their funds towards projects and policies that aggravate climate change.

We oppose carbon trading as a false solution that allows transnational corporations and rich countries to buy the right to pollute at the expense of impoverished peoples and countries. Worse, carbon trading has spawned new and despicable instruments to extract profits from pollution.

We demand the following:

• Redirection of existing dirty energy financing to adaptation and mitigation measures and energy efficiency projects as a form of reparation to the decades of ecological debt owed by the north to the south;

• Financing of renewable energies as one form of restitution for countless years of debt domination that hampered Southern countries capacity to develop alternative technologies and development strategies;

• The sovereign and democratic management and control of funds for mitigation, adaptation and the development of clean, safe and renewable energy; And for the World Bank, ADB and other similar institutions with a horrible track record to be kept from any form of control and inolvement over the disposal and use of these funds.

• Stop to all false solutions such as agro-fuels and carbon trading

• Rejection of all loans, aid and subsidies for fossil fuel extraction, dirty technologies and exploitation of natural resources that violate our national patrimony and the rights of indigenous peoples.

• An end to imposition of all conditionalities (e.g. privatization, liberalization and deregulation) by international financial institutions and northern governments through loans, aid and debt.

• Total and unconditional cancellation and repudiation of debts that have contribute to climate change, and all other illegitimate debts and “obligations” claimed from us by the north and lending institutions.”

民主行动党秘书长环境事务专员邓晓璇于2007年12月10日发表声明：

我们亟需坚定行动以应对气候变化，同时，对世界各地饱受全球变暖及气候不公义影响的人民，表示我们团结一致。

最近获颁诺贝尔和平奖的联合国跨政府气候变迁小组（IPCC）清楚地说明气候变化已是无可否认的事实，该小组也警告说人为因素造成的全球变暖将无可预测或无可逆转的影响。有鉴于此，在巴厘岛举行的联合国气候变化会议（12月3－14日）已经成为非常重要的活动，因为，在巴厘会议中所做的决定，将影响地球的命运，尤其是穷人及弱势群体的命运。

为了进一步了解国际金融机构比如世界银行如何面对气候变化，以及了解不同的减缓及适应举措将为地球及人民带来什么影响，我们参与了巴厘岛一项主题为“全球金融、国际财务机构及债务，与能源、气候变化的关联”（12月5－7日）。我们也参与了12月8日一项为气候变化而举行的全球行动日，以对世界各地饱受全球变暖及气候不公义影响的人民，表示我们团结一致。

上述会议由Jubilee South 主办。协办者包括：地球之友、绿色和平、Oil Change International, Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR), WALHI – Indonesia, Koalisi Anti-Utang (KAU),International Forum for Indonesian Development (INFID), GARPU, KRUHA, GCAP SENCA.

我们于2007年12月8日，在巴厘岛沙奴尔针对国际财务机构、债务及气候变化签署了一项“巴厘宣言”。内容如下：

“我们，一群来自亚洲－太平洋地区不同社会运动及非政府组织的债务及发展运动人士，响应了国际社会日渐增加的呼声，果断地应对气候变化的主要课题。

全球机构、北方国家、跨国企业将缺陷重重的发展模式强加于我们，加上本地精英、新自由主义经济鼓吹者的默许及合作，导致气候危机公然成了最可憎的恶果。

我们坚持，债务不仅仅被利用为控制南方国家及人民的工具，也被用来资助及推广一些导致气候变化恶化的工程及政策。

我们促请国际金融机构如：世界货币基金组织、世界银行、亚洲发展银行及其它区域性发展银行、北方政府及他们的债务出口机构－停止所有为人民及环境带来伤害的财务资助及计划。

我们拒绝所有国际金融机构提供贷款及“财援”来资助虚伪的适应举措及可更新资源－这些机构也同时继续推广及灌入更加在那些造成气候变化的发展工程及政策。

我们反对碳交易（Carbon Trading），因为这项错误的方案允许跨国企业及富国牺牲穷国及穷人的利益，购买污染的权利。更糟的是，碳交易竟然成为一种从污染中谋利的新式及可耻的工具。

我们的诉求如下：

· 将现有污染能源财援转移至适应及减缓举措及有效能源计划，以便补偿这几十年来北方国家对南方国家所欠下的生态债务。

· 提供财援发展可更新能源，做为补偿几十年来被债务主导所破坏南方国家发展机能，让他们发展替代技术及发展政略。

· 在控制减缓、适应及发展干净、安全、可更新能源的基金方面，我们要求主权及民主行政管理权；至于世界银行、亚洲发展银行及其它类似拥有可恶记录的机构，应该被拒绝，不得再涉及任何上述基金的控制及使用。

· 停止任何错误方案，比如农业燃料（agro-fuels）及碳交易。

· 拒绝所有用来汲取化石能源、肮脏技术及剥削天然资源的贷款、援助及津贴，这已经破坏了国家遗产及原住民的权利。

· 停止任何由国际财务机构及北方国家通过贷款、援助及债务强加的条件（如：私营化、自由化及撤销管制）

· 全面、无条件地取消、撤消所有导致气候变化的债务，以及其它不合法债务及北方国家、借贷机构向我们索取的义务性债务。

MONKEY GRAVEYARD

BY REENA RAJ, Malaymail

A group of monkeys huddle in fear at a corner of the container, clinging to each other, trembling at the sight of humans.

FOR the past few nights, residents in Mont Kiara had been troubled by screams coming from a forested area near their condominium.

No one could figure out what it was until yesterday when one of the residents decided to check it out.

He found that the noises came from a high black metal container walled on all sides except one at the bottom where there were little bars. But it was the scene inside the container that shocked him.

THEY huddle in fear at the far corner of the metal container, trembling at the sight of humans.

Sprawled in front of them are carcasses, their rotting stench permeating the air.

This may sound like a scene from a gruesome horror film but in reality, this shocking scenario is set in the posh neighbourhood of Mont Kiara. A group of 18 monkeys are victims of a trap set within the compound of a condominium complex.

Residents of the condominium have been hearing screams the past few nights.

One of them, who wishes to be known as FJ, went to uncover the source of the noise yesterday. He found that the screams came from a black metal container, which he claimed to have seen 10 days ago.

The container, which was completely walled up, had but one opening with little bars at the bottom. Upon closer inspection, he was shocked to discover a group of monkeys huddled in the far corner.

A few other monkeys, including a baby, he claimed, were sprawled on the floor. “Five of them were dead — one appeared bloated.

There was a baby monkey lying still and gasping,” he claimed.

FJ claimed that upon seeing the monkeys in such a deplorable state, he placed bananas and bottles of water inside by pushing them through the bars at the bottom of the container.

Some of the monkeys, he claimed, took the food but only after he had moved away.

“I tried to unlock the container; there were several latches but they were secured,” claimed FJ, who then alerted the condominium’s security guards. When The Malay Mail visited the site yesterday, the guards were attempting to feed the monkeys.

Their efforts at unlocking the container were futile. When asked, the guards claimed that they had no knowledge of the container as the security company had started operations at the condominium on Friday.

The container has the Wildlife Department’s name and telephone number etched on the side. The container has a hole at the top for monkeys to fall in after being tempted by food inside. Upon entering the monkey trap, they are unable to climb out.

In the past, FJ claimed that the area had been plagued by monkeys rummaging through garbage bins, entering homes and causing damage.

“I understand the reason for such traps. If this really is the work of the Wildlife Department, then they must keep tabs on their operations.

“To my knowledge, it has been 10 days since the monkeys were trapped in the container and they haven’t eaten since then.

“It is cruel and inhumane treatment of animals,” he said. FJ claimed that the rotting carcasses have brought about an even bigger problem for the residents.

“Due to the decay, there are now rats and flies in the area, ” he claimed.

“I’d rather put up with the monkeys being a nuisance rather than have them die like this.”

Efforts to contact the Wildlife Department and the management of the condominium proved futile.

Klang Valley Streets: Tiger, tiger burning bright

2 December 2007

Only 500 tigers are estimated to be left in the wild in the entire world.

Mark Dec 16 on your calendar and join celebrity Tiger Ambassadors at Zoo Negara in a programme highlighting the conservation of the big cats.

DO you know that tigers are going to get a field day at Zoo Negara on Dec 16?

It’s because on that day, Mycat is doing something to highlight the plight of these mighty cats of the jungle. Mycat stands for the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers and Dec 16 is the day it is conducting the urban outreach component of its nationwide awareness campaign.

The Race Against Time is a project by Mycat in collaboration with Zoo Negara with the goal of empowering Malaysians to become conservation advocates.

While wildlife enforcement efforts are intensified, there is an urgent need to target consumers and potential consumers of tigers and tiger-based products.

The three specific objectives of the programme are to:

* Raise awareness and concern among the public on the critical status of tigers and urgent need for action.
* Empower the public, especially young people, to take a proactive role towards efforts to reduce the trade in tigers and tigers’ prey.
* Encourage youths to take up careers in wildlife conservation.

The event will be launched by Tiger Ambassadors Ning Baizura, Vince Chong, Yasin Yahaya, Susan Lankester, Rina Omar, Aishah Sinclair, Xandria Ooi, Chelsia Ng, Maple Loo and Corinne Adrienne, who will also launch a number of tools to help these noble beasts.

Number one is the Tiger Crime Hotline which serves to enhance enforcement of wildlife laws and enable the public to report illegal activities to the authorities for timely action. It will be a special 24-hour hotline to report anything perceived as a possible crime against tigers and tigers’ prey.

Secondly, the signature campaign is for the urgent amendment of the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972, the main legislation for wildlife in Malaysia.

The 35-year-old Act needs a major facelift to fight today’s crime against wildlife. The signatures collected at the end of the campaign will be sent to the relevant government body for attention.

Mycat is the alliance of governmental and non-governmental organisations committed to saving the Malayan tiger. Its vision is the survival of wild tiger populations in Peninsular Malaysia.

Current Mycat partners are the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia, the Malaysian Nature Society, Traffic Southeast Asia, the Wildlife Conservation Society and WWF-Malaysia.

Rumour has it that there will also dazzling performances by Tiger Ambassadors Ning Baizura and Vince Chong on the day.

The Mycat Kids for Tigers 2008 calendar will be on sale during the event at RM10 each. The cover was produced using the creative artwork of the schoolchildren of SRJKC Kahang, Johor, during Mycats’ outreach programme there.

All proceeds from the calendar sale, as with all funds raised during the Race Against Time, will go towards Mycat’s campaign.

There will be Art Adventures (scheduled craft classes for kids) and Wild Encounters (scheduled behind-the-scenes zoo tour).

For more information, go to http://www.mns.org.my.

Know this...
* Tigers are endangered.
* Tigers are found only in Asia.
* Worldwide, just a century ago, there were 100,000 tigers.
* Today: There are less than 3,000 tigers.
* Three of nine tiger sub-species have gone extinct.
* Malaysia has one of the last remaining six, the Malayan tiger Panthera tigris jacksoni.
* In Malaysia: it is estimated there are only 500 tigers left.
Threats to tigers include:

Poaching

Almost every body part of the tiger is sought after for traditional medicines, “magic”, trophies, and exotic meat restaurants. In Malaysia, there are exotic meat restaurants which claim to serve tiger meat.

Depletion of prey species

People hunt important prey species such as deer and wild pig, affecting the amount of food available for tigers.

Habitat loss and fragmentation

For all kinds of development, forests are being cleared or reduced in size to small isolated pockets.

Human-tiger conflict

When people and tigers live too close too each other, conflict arises. Tigers may attack domestic livestock, or sometimes, accidentally attack people. When this happens, tigers have to be removed by the authorities, or are killed in retaliation by villagers.

What is needed from the public:

1. Greater concern and action to ensure the survival of the Malayan tiger.
2. People should take the following measures:
* Don’t patronise restaurants which claim to serve tiger meat.
* Don’t buy medicines which claim to be made from tiger parts.
* Don’t buy/eat deer or wild pig meat that has not been sourced legally.
* Report any suspected tiger crimes to the Tiger Crime Hotline.
* Sign the petition to urge the government to amend the Protection of Wildlife Act to ensure better protection for the tiger.

* Support Mycat and its campaign: Spread the message of “Tiger Parts Belong To Tigers” by buying T-shirts for RM25 each, and wearing them!

Police brutality against peaceful marginalised Malaysian Indians

When frustrated people realized that they have nothing to lose,
" fight back !"
then there will be the possibilities for change.


Pictures Link: Reuters.com

Hear the cry of the Sungai Pulai

90% of the letter has been published in The Star, 21 November 2007

Save Mangroves in Sungai Pulai

We are writing to express our shock and disappointment of a report on 13 November 2007 on “PTP gets green light for terminal project”. This means that 2,255 acres of pristine mangrove forest in Sungai Pulai, which can be approximated to 913 soccer fields - this will disappear permanently from the global map.

Clearly, no action was taken after the Johor Menteri Besar had ordered for a Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) to be carried out in August 2007. It thus seems that the developer and the government officials are taking environmental cause less seriously, despite the area’s unique biodiversity by having the largest seagrass bed and the densest seahorse population in the country, as well as dugong population.

Save Our Seahorses (SOS) has expressed strong disagreement with the project taking over extensive tracts of mangroves, which serve as a first buffer, will cause run-off and in turn smother seagrass communities and cloud out the water. Surely, there will be more adverse impacts to the environment when the proposed petrochemical and maritime industries start operating.

The Sungai Pulai mangrove area is crucial in preventing coastal erosion and providing protection from strong winds and waves to 11,000 people living in 38 villages. If the mangrove forest is gone, all these villages will be destroyed by strong winds or a tsunami.

For their livelihood, it used to be the home to at least 111 fish species and other inhabitants like prawns. For every 0.4ha of mangrove area destroyed, sea products will be reduced by 304kg. Destroying the mangrove area is equal to take away the livelihood of the fishermen.

Although the project proponent had recently declared that they will help to gazette Pulau Merambong and adopt seahorse and dugong, and made some donations to the local NGOs, we feel that if they are really concerned about the environment, they should first do the DEIA, and not pay lip service to boost their image in the sudden wake of the need to attract investors.

By the time Pulau Merambong Park is ready, most living things had probably perished amid the pollutants discharged by the petrochemical and heavy industries located upper stream.

Therefore, there is a need for decision makers to halt any green light for developers to destroy our mangroves. Our decision makers must make a strong stand and transcend above political influence. Just as a reminder, the environment is what we borrow from our future generations.

Thing Siew Shuen,
Secretary,
Save Our Seahorses (SOS) Action Committee

PTP gets green light for terminal project

I feel very disappointed and helpless,

once our wetland is gone, it is gone forever... ...

(Pic From left: Datuk Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman, PTP CEO Harun Johari, Long Hoo Hin and Dr Maketab Mohamed)

PTP gets green light for terminal project

By ZAZALI MUSA

GELANG PATAH: Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), which has received approval from the Department of Environment for its multi-billion ringgit petroleum terminal storage centre, will begin construction next year.

Chairman Datuk Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said the terminal, on a 2,200-acre site within the port vicinity, would take about 30 months to complete.

“The terminal will supply petroleum for vessels calling at the port and for our own usage,” Sidik told a press conference on Friday.

Development of the area surrounding the port, he said, complete with marine-related industries, would be crucial.

“The choice to build a second port in Johor at the mouth of Sungai Pulai was not by chance but by choice,” Sidik said, adding that there could not have been a more strategic location to develop a mega port capable of competing with the best in the region other than at the mouth of the river. The Sungai Pulai mouth, located at the southern tip of the peninsula, is at the confluence of international trade, which goes right into the world’s busiest strait, the Straits of Malacca.

Sidik said the success of PTP's project would not only bring revenue and value to Johor but would also contribute to the success of the Iskandar Development Region.

He said to date, PTP had managed to attract more than RM10bil in investments to Johor, specifically at the port and the surrounding areas.

Earlier, Sidik presented a RM60,000 cheque to Malaysian Nature Society Johor (MNSJ) chairman Assoc Prof Dr Maketab Mohamed.

The allocation will be used by MNSJ to collect and document data on the unique ecology of the Sungai Pulai estuary, including its flora, fauna and marine species.

Also present at the event were Johor state tourism and environment chairman Freddie Long Hoo Hin and PTP chief executive officer Harun Johari.

Batak Pos with me

Malaysia Tak Seindah yang Kita Bayangkan

Jakarta, Batak Pos

Pembangunan ekonomi serta kesejahteraan Malaysia ternyata tak seindah yang diduga. Selama ini, kita mengenal Negeri Jiran itu serba bagus dibanding Indonesia atau negara Asean lainnya. Tak aneh jika banyak tenaga kerja asing termasuk TKI yang ramai-ramai mengais “Ringgit” ke Malaysia. Namun sejak lengsernya Perdana menteri (PM) Mahathir Muhammad segalanya menjadi lain. “Pertumbuhan ekonomi melemah, jumlah rakyat miskin bertambah serta arus modal asing ke Malaysia tak sehebat dulu,” ungkap Aktivis Democratic Action Party (DAP) Malaysia Thing Siew Shuen kepada Batak Pos di Jakarta, Minggu (4/11).

Kinerja pemerintah Malaysia dibawab kepemimpinan PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, kata Thing jauh lebih buruk dibanding masa Mahathir Muhammad dulu. Kebebasan pers yang dulu cukup bagus, kini perlahan dikungkam. Dengan begitu, hak rakyat untuk mengetahui informasi menjadi terhambat.

“Jumlah rakyat miskin tinggi, laju inflasi tinggi serta arus penanaman modal asing jauh merosot. Akibatnya bisa ditebak, tingkat kesejahtreraan rakyat juga makin rendah. Sedang jumlah penduduk Malaysia hanya 27 juta jiwa, jauh dibawah Indonesia yang mencapai 220 juta jiwa lebih,” kata dia lagi.

Tingkat keamanan di Malaysia juga tak senyaman dulu. Kerusuhan dan percikan-percikan kecil muncul di berbagai wilayah Malaysia. Pelanggaran hukum juga sering terjadi di Malaysia. Terlepas apa penyebab semua itu, namun aku Thing, demikianlah kondisi Malaysia sekarang ini. “Kenyataan tersebut tak seindah yang disampaikan rezim yang berkuasa di Malaysia sekarang,” kata dia.

Tindak kekerasan terhadap pekerja asing termasuk TKI, menurut Thing bukan perkara asing di Malaysia. Tidak sedikit pekerja asal Indonesia disiksa bahkan para pekerja perempuannya diperkosa oleh oknum aparat keamanan Malaysia. Kasus penganiayaan wasit kareta asal Indonesia Donald Pieter Luther Kolopita tak lepas dari kritik Thing. Di Indoensia sendiri, kasus tersebut sempat memicu aksi demontrasi ribuan massa di depan kedubers Malaysia di Jl.HR.rasuna Said Jakarta Selatan.

Padahal, pemerintah Malaysia mengakui, kontribusi pekerja asing sangat besar pada perekonomian negeri itu. Pekerja asing yang mencari nafkah di Malaysia berasal dari berbagai negara, seperti Indonesia, Bangladesh, Filipina, dan negara lainnya. Jumlah pekerja asing di Malaysia diperkirakan antara 2,5 sampai 3 juta orang. Dari jumlah tersebut, hanya satu setengah juta bekerja dengan dokumen yang sah di negara yang jumlah total penduduknya adalah 24 juta orang.

Sejak dulu jumlah warga asing yang tinggi ini sangat penting bagi pembangungan ekonomi di Malaysia. Mereka merupakan pendorong pembangunan di negeri tersebut. Ketika Malaysia masih dijajah Inggris, jutaan warga Cina datang ke negara itu untuk membuka usaha dan bekerja di pertambangan timah. Warga Tamil dibawa untuk bekerja di perkebunan karet, sedangkan warga Punjabi dan Shikh bekerja sebagai petugas polisi dan pegawai kereta api. Saat itu, jumlah mereka sekira 45 persen dari keseluruhan warga negara Malaysia. Kini, pekerja dari Indonesia dan Filipina yang memenuhi pabrik-pabrik, projek pembangunan, dan perkebunan. "Sekira 11 persen pekerja adalah warga asing," ujar Shamsuddin Bardin, Direktur Federasi Pengusaha Malaysia.

Tingkat korupsi di Malaysia, papar Thing, juga tak kalah hebatnya. Laporan Transparancy International menyebutkan, tahun 2006 Malaysia menduduki perangkat ke 37. Sedang pada masa pemerintahan Mahathir peringkat Malaysia masih berada di angka 24. Kebebasan pers di Malaysia juga turun menjadi perangkat 122. “Artinya, rakyat Malaysia semakin dikekang tak peluang untuk mendapatkan informasi publik makin terbatas,” papar wanita asal Selangor Malaysia itu.

Saat ini, terjadi proses diskriminasi yang makin kuat di Malaysia, terutama di bidang ekonomi. Kebijakan pemerintah yang pro bumi putera (Melayu), tukas Thing, ternyata hanya untuk kepentingan segelintir orang tertentu di terutama anggota kerajaan di Malaysia. Sedang rakyat banyak, apalagi non Melayu makin menderita. Alih-alih dapat ikut menikmati hasil pembangunan yang ada, justru kesejahteraan mereka makin menurun. “Tingkat Gini atau kejurangan sosial di Malaysia adalah yang terburuk di Asean,” tukas dia serius.

Diakui Thing, pengaruh Bank Dunia atau lembaga perekonomian multilateral lainnya relatif kecil di Malaysia. Namun begitu, Malaysia masih tetap menjadi tujuan investasi modal kapitalis yang cukup besar. Saat ini, tercatat ada tiga negara pemasok modal Malaysia, masing-masing Amerika Serikat (AS), Eropa dan Jepang. “Tiga negara besar itulah yang paling dominan dalam investasi asing di Malaysia,” aku wanita energik itu.

Menurut Thing, inevasti asing di Malaysia tahun 2006 tercatat sebesar 4,62 miliar dolar AS. Jumlah itu setara dengan 17,09 miliar Ringgit Malaysia. Namun jika dibanding dengan realisasi investasi tahun 2004, yang mencapai 4,62 miliar dolar AS. “Ini kasus pertama sejak tahun 1990 Indoensia mulai mengambilalih posisi Malaysia dalam investasi asing. Jumlah investasi asing jauh dibawah Indoensia yang mencapai 5,26 miliar dolar As tahun 2006 silam,” tukas dia.

Data yang dihimpun Batak Pos menyebutkan, strategi pembangunan ekonomi yang sangat fokus selama dua dasawarsa terakhir, tidak diragukan lagi dampaknya terhadap kinerja ekonomi Malaysia seperti yang ditunjukkan oleh indikator-indikator sebagai berikut. Prestasi utama dari kepemimpinan Mahathir adalah stabilitas makro ekonomi. Inflasi turun dari sekira 10 persen pada tahun 1981 (saat Mahathir mulai memimpin Malaysia) menjadi hanya sekira 0,3 persen di tahun 1983.

Pertumbuhan ekonomi yang pesat dan stabil juga terjadi pada hampir sepanjang dekade 1990-an. Antara tahun 1992 dan 1997, Malaysia berhasil pertumbuhan ekonomi rata-rata sebesar 9 persen per tahun, dan pertumbuhan pendapatan per kapitanya merupakan salah satu yang tertinggi di Asia Pasifik. Walaupun kinerja ekonomi Malaysia tampak sempurna, pada tahun 1998 Malaysia terkena krisis ekonomi yang mengakibatkan perekonomiannya terkontraksi sebesar 7,4 persen. Walaupun demikian, ekonomi Malaysia telah berhasil kembali ke trend pertumbuhan pesatnya.

Selama ini, banyak orang melihat keberhasilan Malaysia Selain karena kebijakan ekonomi, pembangunan ekonomi Malaysia juga didukung oleh tersedianya tenaga kerja yang ahli dan terdidik, sebagai dampak dari kebijakan pendidikan dasar yang wajib dan gratis, serta dukungan kepada pendidikan tinggi. Pemerintah Malaysia memberikan ratusan ribu beasiswa kepada kaum Melayu untuk melanjutkan pendidikannya sampai ke perguruan tinggi, bagi yang mampu secara akademis.

Puluhan ribu beasiswa juga diberikan bagi kaum Melayu untuk melanjutkan ke perguruan tinggi di luar negeri. Sejak awal tahun 1990-an, "Visi 2020" Mahathir telah menjadi landasan pembangunan ekonomi Malaysia. "Visi 2020 Malaysia" menargetkan peningkatan GDP delapan kali lipat, dan pencapaian status negara maju pada tahu 2020. Kebijakan ini menetapkan swastanisasi sebagai kunci dari pembangunan ekonomi nasional, peran investasi asing untuk mendukung industrialisasi yang berkelanjutan, serta pembangunan bangsa secara menyeluruh dari aspek ekonomi, politik, sosial, spiritual, psikologis, dan budaya.*isk

StarBiz Interview MMC CEO Feizal Ali

StarBiz Interview MMC CEO Feizal Ali

Contributed by admin

Friday, 05 October 2007

MMC Corp Bhd group chief executive Feizal Ali tells StarBiz about the business proposition behind the RM16bil memorandum of understanding with Dubai World and how the project will create a new petrochemical and maritime industry in Johor.

How did this partnership come about and please brief us about the project?

In the course of doing business in the Middle East, we developed relationships with various infrastructure groups, including Dubai World. Being an infrastructure and utilities group, we recognized potential synergies that can be drawn between MMC and Dubai World.

Dubai World’s subsidiary, DP World, is one of the largest global port operators and another subsidiary, Nakheel, has practically transformed Dubai into one of the most vibrant cities in the region, through the creation of unique projects, such as The Palm Islands and The World.

Dubai World also has a very strong track record in the development of logistics parks.

When executives from Dubai World visited South Johor during the last three months, they became aware of the tremendous potential of the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) and South Johor generally. They were very interested in our landbank of 2,255 acres at Tanjung Bin as well as the 500 acres next to the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), which had been earmarked for industrial development, and we had discussions on the possibility of working together to jointly develop these lands.

Our discussions led to the recent signing of an MoU with Dubai World, and we are now working on developing a maritime centre masterplan for our land, that will comprise oil terminal activities, drydocks, shipyards, conventional cargo handling facilities, logistic parks and real estate development.

We view this project as being in line with the call of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman to develop the South Johor corridor.

This development will create a new petrochemical and maritime industry with an estimated gross development value of RM16bil, which we hope will become the next engine of growth for South Johor and at the same time complement IDR.

What is Dubai World’s role in this project?

We had developed our own masterplan for the development of this land. We recognised, however, that this is a greenfield project and working with a strong strategic partner would enable us to take this project to the next level.

In Dubai World, we found a company with proven project management experience, marketing strength and a global footprint that enable us to reach out to the international market.

Dubai World brings to the table a brand that has been very successful not only in Dubai but also in other parts of the world. We believe our partner brings strength and credibility to this project as well as the requisite expertise and experience to jointly develop this area to a level that is on par with other international endeavours.

From our perspective, the participation of a premier brand such as Dubai World reflects its trust in MMC’s ability to deliver world class projects and also underscores MMC’s position as an emerging global utilities and infrastructure group.

What equity stake will Dubai World take in this project?

We are in the midst of discussing our masterplan in detail with Dubai World. We will come to an agreement on the equity structure of this partnership once this masterplan has been agreed upon by both parties.

What do you think persuaded Dubai World to join MMC in this project?

Dubai World chairman Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem has said they see a bright future for this exciting multi-faceted development. He expressed the view that an integrated maritime centre will improve efficiency and Dubai World appeared very keen to capitalise on the opportunities within the region as well as in Malaysia’s vibrant and rapidly growing economy.

What is the timeline for the development?

Work on Tanjung Bin land will begin right after acceptance of the masterplan by both parties next year. We expect the project to be fully developed by 2012.

What is the value of the Tanjung Bin land?

The average offer that we have received, on an “as is where is” basis,is RM20 per sq ft on a 30-year lease. However, we do not wish to completely sell or lease all of the land in one go just to record one-off gains.

Instead, we want to plan this project well and maximise the use of the land by building supporting infrastructure and services to support the entire project, which will also allow us to generate recurring income.

In our initial study, the cost of developing the infrastructure and services required would be about RM2.5bil. This would include an industrial port, three oil jetties and supporting infrastructure. This proposal is, of course, subject to regulatory approvals from the

Federal and state governments. Naturally, the value of the land will increase with these supporting facilities in place.

Are there any environmental concerns?

The area earmarked for development is outside the area identified as a wetland sanctuary under RAMSAR.

Expert opinion confirms that the proposed development is balanced and will not damage the RAMSAR site. As part of our corporate social responsibility, we will ensure that the development will not, in any way, compromise the environment.

In developing the masterplan, particular attention will continue to be given to preserve the RAMSAR site. We will have very stringent requirements to ensure that all emissions will be in full compliance with all environmental requirements.

In fact, we are already in dialogue with the Malaysian Nature Society and other NGOs on how we can work together. Our plans will also take into consideration the overall environment including the views of experts, professionals and NGOs to ensure that the goal of a balanced development is achieved. We will also pay serious attention to the wishes of the state government.

A good example of a balanced development is PTP. We built this world-class port while successfully preserving the surrounding environment. PTP works closely with the Fisheries Department on dugong programs to preserve the species.

Together with NGOs such as the SOS committee, PTP is also involved in monitoring the sea grass bed, which is the habitat for seahorses. Our experience shows it is entirely possible to preserve the environment while building a world-class facility and that continues to be our objective as a responsible corporate citizen.

Congratulations!!! 恭喜恭喜！！！

In the latest worldwide press freedom index released by Paris-based watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Malaysia scored two "worsts" – the sharpest plunge of 32 spots from 92 to 124 placing, which is also Malaysia's worst ranking in the RSF annual worldwide press freedom ranking since it was started in 2002.

无疆界记者组织（Reporters Without Borders）公布《2007年度全球新闻自由指数》，马来西亚创下两项“最糟"记录，即排名暴跌32位。除了从去年的第92名跌至第124名外，这也是有关指数自2002年首次出炉以来，我国历来最差的排名。

RSF Worldwide Press Freedom Index (Malaysia)

2002 - 110 (out of 139 countries)
2003 - 104 (166)
2004 - 122 (167)
2005 - 113 (167)
2006 - 92 (168)
2007 - 124 (169)

垃圾管理慎防头不到岸

（此文已在2007年10月16日《星洲日报》言论版刊登）

雪兰莪州巴生市议会于6个月前，以实验方式在一个巴生中路设立“垃圾回收及再循环中心”，据新闻报道说反应不俗。

上述中心的运作方式是市民主动将民宅垃圾送到该中心回收，每公斤垃圾（家居废料、小贩废料及可循环物品）换取10仙。

当局发现，上述中心启用后，一些路段的沿途垃圾减少、当局无需再委任承包商，每个月可节省3万8千令吉；对市民而言，一些“垃圾生产量”较高的市民还可以“赚回”门牌税。

鉴于上述种种好处，雪州行政议员拿督庄祷融于是建议在各地方政府设立回收站。

垃圾问题困扰我国政府已久，巴生市议会的实验若正如报道所言，固然可喜可贺。然而，这并不表示其它地方也适合同样的处理法。

房屋及地方部官员多年来周游列国考察各地的废料管理方法后，今年才在国会提呈两项新法案：固体废料及公共卫生管理系统法案、固体废料及公共卫生管理机构法案。

政府还将拨出10亿令吉成立一个机构，全权处理全国各地的垃圾，地方政府在处理废料上的权限将收归中央。在新法案下，有关私营化三大废料处理公司是否会依据目前市议会的方案处置垃圾？届时，市议会所设立的垃圾再循环中心会不会被废置？

若将这项巴生市议会的每公斤付10仙的概念扩大进行，意味着一些地方政府可以省下聘请垃圾承包商的费用，那么以营利为主的废料处理公司是否愿意这样，还是计划两年后继续上门收垃圾，并向市民额外征收垃圾费？

说实在，房屋地方政府部在提呈法新案以来，根本没有提出什么根本上推动民间“再循环、再使用、再减少”的政策，就连是否立法再循环、是否规定以不同颜色垃圾袋将垃圾分类的具体方案也交不出来。（此段落被删）

北京政府为了应付人口稠密、迎接奥运会激增的垃圾问题，依然朝往“资源节约型、环境友好型”的垃圾分类方向。反观我国政府，还频频在思衬着是否在两年后征收额外垃圾费？要从日本购买什么款式的焚化炉？一切还是以怎样从人民身上榨钱、怎样让各种各样的承包商从大大小小的工程中获益做考量。

新法案的实质内涵将如何影响民生及市议会的操作？笔者认为，有关部门必须针对新法案到各地汇报，废料管理的讨论不应只限于几个官员和大老板。

在特定地区设立垃圾回收及再循环中心的方法若可取，也可说是一种教育公众的好方法。然而，有关当局推行前宜征询市民意见，以照顾那些不良于行、没有交通工具的市民。

在损益表上，或许当局也应该算一算，每公斤10仙的垃圾是否足于补贴居民驱车倒垃圾的所耗费的燃油，还有，民众驱车前往倒垃圾所导致温室气体排放量是否超过一辆垃圾车穿行市区的排出量？最后，当局售卖可循环物品中所得的费用，是否能让市民在门牌税中获得回扣？

Getting worse there... ...佛都有火！

... ... it has made a big difference when the whole world witnessed on the pictures of brutal crackdowns by the military regime on unarmed monks and protesters on the television screen.

However, after these pictures and footages had reached around the world, the security forces nowadays are making sure that this does not happen again. They closely monitor both local and foreign travelers, sometimes even stopping people on the roads and searching cameras and cell phones. International access of internet inside Burma is still shut down

There have been atrocious things happening in Burma but this time almost out of international radar for the world to witness. The detained people, monks, student leaders, and protesters inside are facing horrendous fate in detention centers, in jails and in hiding.

However, people still try to find ways to send out information. Eyewitness accounts reveal that hundreds of monks in these detention centers have been forcibly disrobed and tortured while hundreds of detainees have been transferred to distant places.

Raids and arrests continue on daily basis. At least 4 more youth activists have been arrested in Rangoon yesterday and today. About 400 people were arrested during the UN Special Envoy Mr. Gambaris visit. Large number of monks, novices and activists now are in hiding and running in fear of arrest and repercussion and we are gravely concerned of their situation.

There were also eyewitness accounts of about 80 people who were burnt during night time on September 29 at Yay-wae cemetery in a northern outskirt area of Rangoon. Most were dead bodies while a few were still-alive, including a pregnant woman. (An article in Sunday Time on this situation attached FYI).

This does not surprise me at all!!! I remember vividly that during the 1988 uprising after the September massacre, I had a chance to witness a video documentation of the same kind of situation where an unknown number of people both dead and still-alive were piled in a building under the dim light while a few men were talking to each other in this heavily-drunk voice that they were scared to burn those bodies.

Even writing this makes me feel so sick from my stomach. This is the most ruthless regime that has no hesitation at all to shoot and kill people -- be peaceful protesters in the cities or be ethnic civilians in remote frontier areas.

We would like to urge all of you to stay alert and keep up with all these tremendous actions that you have already been organizing as Burma seriously needs your support at this critical time more than ever.

A few monks and people who have just fled to the border areas retold their stories with obvious trauma in their eyes and their body gestures. As they related their stories a monk in his late 40s cried in disbelief how brutal the military regime and its thugs were.

The regime released a number of monks and demonstrators just before the UN Security Councils meeting last week usual action by the regime in order to buy time or prevent international pressure especially from the UN.

Meanwhile, it launched a major propaganda campaign in its attempts to mislead the world that the people support its sham national convention and oppose the peaceful protest movement by collecting people and holding mass rallies in some states and divisions, including Kachin State. There are reports of those who didnt want to go had to pay money to the authorities.

What is encouraging is that on October 6, about 200 Kachin youths in Maijayang, Kachin State rallied to express their discontent with the ceased-fire Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) for participating in the regime-sponsored public rally to support for the results of this sham national convention (NC).

It is apparent that people are looking for the opportunity to carry on with their movement as small defiant actions were seen in various parts of Rangoon during the past few days despite of the heavy security presence all over the city.

If the UN, ASEAN and other important players of the world are unable to intervene and the military regime continues to rule the country, social breakdown, economic meltdown and distrust among people will further be bred out and Burma will become a complete failed state.

Besides, the regime shows no intention to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from under house arrest until now.

(A letter from APPPB )

Simple, recycling corner in my office

Restore the ban on Monkey export

民主行动党副主席兼怡保西区国会议员古拉于2007年9月20日，在八打灵再也发表声明：

长尾猴的出口禁令解除，将导致它们被残忍地杀害成为食物，或在实验室里经历痛苦折磨。

天然资源及环境部长拿督斯里阿兹米卡立一定要澄清他本身自相矛盾的言论，“长尾猴出口禁令并未被解除，只有城市里的猴子才会被捕捉及出口。”显然地，这番言论令部长本身违反了1972年野生动物保护法令。

长尾猴被列在《濒危野生动植物种国际贸易公约》（CITES）附录二里。而在我国1972年野生动物保护法令里，长尾猴被列为二级受保护动物（Schedule Two, Part III），

我们为部长发表的似是而非的言论深表关注。我们置疑他允许受保护动物被出口国外的真正目的。这些可怜的灵长类将被残杀烹煮，并且在实验室里面对可怕的痛苦。显然地，是部长默许这种残忍、不人道的做法。

阿兹米必须回答下列问题：

1. 谁、什么公司会在长尾猴的出口、以及它们的痛苦、妄死中坐拥最大的利益？

2. 有什么证据显示环境部有资料证明长尾猴数量过多？由林业局提供的无危害统计（NDF）已经受人置疑，因为，在统计野生动物的科学研究里，是不可能精准确切地计算野生动物的数量，科学家一般上仅以分布区来计算它们的数量。

3. 如果环境部真的要控制长尾猴的数量，它们是否有考虑使用一些人道的方法如：绝育或无痛苦的人道毁灭？

4. 要如何解释长尾猴将在出口海外时，面对残酷至极的对待？

5. 环境部要如何分辩“城市猴子”及“乡村猴子”以进行“非法”或“合法”的交易？如此模糊的分类只会导致捕捉这些灵长类以谋利的非法活动激增。

长尾猴的栖息地已经在杂乱无序的发展中受到严重破坏。人类一直认为自己是万物之灵，我们往往忘了，动物比我们更早出现在这里，他们比人类需要更多的保护。我们必须将野生动物视为大自然母亲的组成部份，它们都是上天赐予的礼物，不应遭到毁灭。

古拉

Media statement by DAP vice chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat M.Kula Segaran on Thursday, September 20, 2007 in Petaling Jaya.

Lifting the export ban of long-tailed macaques will result in their slaughter for the cooking pot or being subjected to cruel experiments in laboratories.

The Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid must clarify his contradictory statement that“The ban on the export of the long-tailed macaque has not been lifted, only monkeys in the cities would be caught and exported.” He is clearly in breach of the Protection of Wild Life Act 1972.

Long-tailed macaques are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species(Cites). It is also classified as “Protected Wild Animals” under the our Protection of Wildlife Act 1972 (Schedule Two, Part III).

We are deeply concerned about the paradoxical statement made by the Minister. We would also like to question his motives for allowing protected species to be exported overseas. These poor wildlife primates will be destined for the cooking pot and be subjected to horrendous suffering in the experiment laboratories. This is clearly a cruel and inhumane act by the Minister.

Azmi has to answer the questions:

1.Who and which company will profit financially from the export of macaques, as well as their torture and death?

2.What evidence has the Ministry gathered to prove that there is a serious overpopulation problem? Non-detrimental finding (NDF) provided by the Perhilitan are being suspected as it is almost impossible to determine in the wildlife inventory. Wildlife population estimates normally appear as range.

3.If the Ministry really wants to control the monkey population, has it taken more humane methods into consideration, such as sterilization or humane culling?

4.How does the Ministry justify the extreme cruelty that we know macaques are subjected to when they are transported overseas?

5.How will the Ministry be able to differentiate between urban and “rural” monkeys for classification of legal or illegal trade? Such untenable classification will only lead to a growth in both legal as well as illegal trade of these primates.

Macaque habitats have been progressively destroyed due to indiscriminate development. Human always think that we are greatest living beings. It appears that we have forgotten that the animals were here before us and they need more protection than humans. We must always look at the wild animals as part and parcel of the Mother Nature for they are god’s gift and should not to be destroyed.

M. Kula Segaran