CAMERON HIGHLANDS: Wednesday’s mud floods and landslides in Bertam Valley, Ringlet and Kuala Terla are just the beginning of more disasters to strike the highlands, warn environmentalists.
They said the highlands would see the horror of more floods and landslides if land-clearing continues. They are asking for regular monitoring and stringent enforcement on all land-clearing activities to be in place to ensure that they are not carried out at the expense of the environment.
Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands (Reach) president R. Ramakrishnan said the situation would turn from bad to worse if no short-term and long-term solutions were found.
“The similar disaster in Bertam Valley here on Oct 23 last year merely served as a warning. Wednesday’s incident is the beginning of more disasters to come. We are currently on auto-pilot mode and have yet to hit turbulence. The worse is yet to come,” he said after taking reporters to see the destruction happening on the highlands.
Checks showed that the road and river reserves from Kampung Raja right up to Bertam Valley and Ringlet had been encroached on for illegal farming activities.
Hidden behind the Cameron Highlands trunk road were vast plots of illegal dumping sites. Rotten vegetables, flowers and bags of fertiliser were thrown into the rivers.
According to Ramakrishnan, water from these rivers flowed through a 10km tunnel to the Sultan Abu Bakar Dam in Bertam Valley.
He alleged that the “out-of-control” illegal land-clearing activities was made worse “with rampant corrupt practices from top-down”.
“I can show you that illegal land-clearing activities are taking place despite the authority’s ‘No Encroachment’ signs being put up. If this is not corruption, then prove me wrong.”
He claimed that political interference also aggravated the situation.
Environmental Management & Research Association of Malaysia president Ellias Saidin cited the improper planning of agriculture land in the highlands as the main cause of the tragedy in Bertam Valley.
“The whole world is affected by climate change and extreme weather conditions. The rainfall pattern has changed and it’s high time for the authorities and developers to engage in proper development planning to not worsen the condition.
“Land is exposed when it is used for agriculture and it seems difficult, or rather, we don’t see any enforcement to address this issue,” he told the New Sunday Times.
Ellias said developers needed to be responsible and adhere to guidelines, such as by building drainage and water retention systems.
Malaysian Nature Society president Professor Dr Maketab Mohamed said the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, the National Security Council, Pahang government and other agencies should play a major role in enforcement.
“Coordination of various agencies is crucial. Floods, if not 100 per cent preventable, can be controlled. Ignoring the facts is just asking for the repeat of past tragedies.”
Permata Greenland Organisation deputy president Dr Sharifah Mazlina Syed Abdul Kadir said the authorities should be proactive, stressing that development should come with contingency plans.
“All felling of trees must be followed-up with replanting. The authorities must control all development on hills and ensure a proper drainage system. Besides the local authorities, the developers should obtain approval from a geologist.”
Ramakrishnan called on the relevant parties to get their act together if they were serious in solving the problems on the highlands.
“If nothing is done in another 10 years, Cameron Highlands will no longer be a pristine hill resort.”