The warning bells are loud and clear.
Malaysia’s second largest freshwater lake, Tasik Chini, in Pahang is at risk of losing its biosphere reserve status accorded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) in 1996.
Yesterday, the alarm bell sounded again over its bleak future. This time around, it was former Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Tasik Chini Research Centre director Professor Datuk Seri Dr Mushrifah Idris who told the New Straits Times that extensive land clearing and mining may cost the lake and the country dearly. She lamented that “past attempts to address the issue had fallen on deaf ears”.
Tasik Chini’s sad state of affairs is not new. This newspaper, had, in the past, reported that the lake was at risk of destruction due to rampant iron ore mining at Bukit Ketaya near the lake.
Environmental problems in Tasik Chini were discovered last year when its water became murky, reportedly caused by unregulated agriculture, mining and logging in the surrounding areas.
Recent reports suggested that the lake was fast turning into a “dead lake” due to pollution, which could eventually cause the biosphere to collapse. (A biosphere is a region of land, water and atmosphere where living organisms and their activities create a single, self-sustaining ecosystem.)
In 2010, a report by UKM revealed that “the eco-system of Tasik Chini was in a critical and dying situation”, prompting Transparency International Malaysia, with several civil society partners, to embark on a national campaign to save the lake. How many more alarm bells must go off before action is taken?
Picture this — Tasik Chini is reportedly endowed with a rich diversity of flora and fauna, and is home to 87 species of freshwater fish, 189 species of birds, 51 low-forest species, 15 freshwater swamp forest species and 25 aquatic plants.
Studies have reportedly revealed many habitats are unique to the lake, which is formed from a string of 12 connected water bodies covering over 200ha, and surrounded by 700ha of freshwater swamp and swamp forest.
Between August and September, the lake is transformed into a floating garden with thousands of white and pink lotus flowers covering the surface.
About 800 Orang Asli from the Jakun tribe, and also some Semai, live along its shores and depend on the lake for livelihood and water supply.
Can we afford to lose this treasure? Who do we blame but ourselves if we fail to pass it on to future generations? It will be a huge loss, a tragedy.
A concerted effort, therefore, is urgently needed at the state and federal levels to stop the harmful activities and find long-term solutions to ensure its survival.
We agree with Mushrifah that land clearing for development or mining has to be done systematically and followed up with rehabilitation. There had been suggestions to establish a body to manage Tasik Chini, but they continue to remain ideas.
Unesco is due to conduct an audit on the lake’s biosphere reserve status from May to September this year.
Our national treasure and heritage is an inheritance better than money; it cannot be stolen as long as we strive to preserve it.
However, it can be lost or forgotten by the choices that we make. Act we must, and now.