It's our final wrap-up of the year with the folks from local journalism portal Macaranga , Wong Siew Lyn and Law Yao Hua. On the show today, we have a wide-ranging discussion on environment-related news from 2021, related to forests (and deforestation), wildlife conservation, and also the outcomes of COP26, while also looking forward to what might be in 2022. You can find out how to support Macaranga's independent brand of environmental journalism here . Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio...
Dec 13, 2021•47 min
There are lots of movements happening in the usually sleepy highlands of Fraser's Hill, with the Raub Draft District Local Plan 2035 proposing to revive and turn Fraser’s Hill into a major tourist destination. But residents and other stakeholders are divided as to what would be best for the future of this heritage spot, and it's long term survival. Special guest host Keith Kam heads up to the highland resort, to get the low down from residents, the planners, environmentalists and other sta...
Dec 08, 2021•23 min
Worms are highly underrated, and their services to humankind goes unnoticed below the surface, and are therefore unappreciated. But not so for advocates of vermicomposting like Prof Dr Chan Yoo Kuen, who understands the vital role worms play in keeping us healthy and nourished. It was World Soil Day on the 5th of December, and in conjunction with that, Prof Chan, who is a CEO – Chief Earthworm Officer - and vermicomposting advocate, joins us to share how and why we should all get on the ve...
Dec 06, 2021•42 min
From monkeys to millipedes, Layar Liar is a 52-episode online documentary series, aimed at getting more Malaysians to know and love our natural heritage. Mainly targeted at students and presented in Bahasa Malaysia, the series takes us all on a tour to witness our local wildlife wonders, and remind us why our forests and other natural landscapes - and all its inhabitants - must be protected at all costs. We find out more about the series from producers, Lara Ariffin and Harun Rahman, of Nuvista ...
Dec 01, 2021•35 min
Wong Siew Lyn and Law Yao Hua, the Co-Founders, Co-Editors and Writers from online journalism portal, Macaranga join us again for a round-up of big environmental news, from the month of November 2021. This month, we've got pledges on our minds - first, Malaysia's pledge at COP26 to stop deforestation by 2030, and also what Malaysia has agreed to, by signing the Global Methane Pledge, along with 103 other countries. We also try to figure out how carbon credits work, and what this form of trading ...
Nov 29, 2021•15 min
Wong Siew Lyn and Law Yao Hua, the Co-Founders, Co-Editors and Writers from online journalism portal, Macaranga join us again for a round-up of big environmental news, from the month of November 2021. This month, we've got pledges on our minds - first, Malaysia's pledge at COP26 to stop deforestation by 2030, and also what Malaysia has agreed to, by signing the Global Methane Pledge, along with 103 other countries. We also try to figure out how carbon credits work, and what this form of trading ...
Nov 29, 2021•15 min
Founded in 2012, 1StopBorneo Wildlife aims to conserve the rainforests and the rich biodiversity of Borneo through education, wildlife rescue, eco-tourism and research. Originally founded in Brunei, it has since expanded to Sarawak and Sabah, and the team works with a wide variety of species and habitats including pangolins, elephants, clouded leopards, Irrawaddy dolphins, and a variety of reptiles, amphibians, insects and flora. We find out more about their work from Shavez Cheema, the Founder ...
Nov 29, 2021•30 min
The fate of the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR) is still hanging in the balance. Though the Menteri Besar of Selangor announced back in September that the degazetted forest would be regazetted, nothing has happened so far. The MB has also said that the regazettement will only take place after a decision is made on the East Coast Rail Link alignment. What does this all mean and what is stalling the regazettement process? We find out from June Tan and Suresh Kumar, who are both part of t...
Nov 24, 2021•26 min
"Gender and climate are profoundly intertwined." This was asserted by Alok Sharma, the COP26 President. But were the voices of women, especially those from developing and poorer nations, heard and taken seriously at the recently concluded COP26 in Glasgow? We speak to activist Ana Celestial, who is a member of both the Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment , and the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), to understand why many believe there was a deliberate excl...
Nov 22, 2021•31 min
Jacques Cousteau, the late world-renowned oceanographer, once described Pulau Sipadan as an untouched piece of art. But Sipadan is just one of the many breathtaking islands in Sabah, whose waters are renowned for its exceptional marine biodiversity and beautiful, healthy coral reefs. If you're looking for your next Cuti-Cuti Malaysia underwater adventure, find out why Sabah's islands should be on your list from Johnny Chew, the owner of Dive Borneo Bah! Sdn Bhd. This Sabah native is also a quali...
Nov 17, 2021•34 min
The COP26 climate summit was arguably one of the most important diplomatic meetings in history. Were the negotiations to ensure action to deal with the climate emergency a success, or a failure? We find out what went down in Glasgow from Meenakshi Raman, the President of Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) and Head of Programmes at the Third World Network (TWN) , who was at the conference. Image credit: flickr.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Nov 15, 2021•46 min
The COP26 climate summit was arguably one of the most important diplomatic meetings in history. Were the negotiations to ensure action to deal with the climate emergency a success, or a failure? We find out what went down in Glasgow from Meenakshi Raman, the President of Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) and Head of Programmes at the Third World Network (TWN), who was at the conference. Image credit: flickr.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Nov 15, 2021•46 min
Pristine white beaches, jungles, mangrove forests, mountains, charming fishing villages, amazing local delicacies - Perak's Pangkor Island has so much to offer for travellers looking for their next Cuti-Cuti Malaysia stop. As the saying goes, “tak kenal, maka tak cinta” so we find more about what Pangkor has to offer from YB Dato Nolee Ashilin binti Datuk Muhammed Radzi, the Perak State Housing, Local Government and Tourism Committee chairman, who gives us an insider's scoop on all t...
Nov 10, 2021•26 min
There's a saying: We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. Sadly, we seem to be poor borrowers, giving back a planet riddled with environmental degradation for our kids to deal with, and a climate crisis to boot. No child is responsible for rising global temperatures, but they will pay the highest costs. A new exploratory study by UNICEF Malaysia, together with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Malaysia Sabah has revealed crucial interconnection...
Nov 08, 2021•40 min
Think of this sobering thought - every piece of plastic you have ever touched is still on Earth. Whether intact or disintegrating, it's here. The plastic pollution crisis was bad enough before the pandemic, but the response to COVID-19 has also resulted in increased use of plastic-based products such as reusable masks, gloves and even more packaging as we shopped online more, just to name a few. How do we move away from this bad romance with plastic? Greenpeace Malaysia would like to help, and h...
Nov 03, 2021•35 min
In tabling Budget 2022, the government has said it is committed to strengthening the nation’s sustainability agenda. We look at what has been promised under this year's budget, specifically in terms of protecting Malaysia's priceless environment and biodiversity, with Andrew Sebastian, the President and CEO of the Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Malaysia (ECOMY). Brought to you by Mah Sing; Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life. Image credit: EPA-EFE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy ...
Nov 01, 2021•9 min
We dissect Budget 2022, and discuss if conservation of the environment was prioritised in this year's budget with Sharan Raj, a Central Committee Member of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM). We also focus on the government's plans to provide full exemption from import and excise duties as well as sales tax for Electric Vehicles (EV), to support the development of the local EV industry, and the impacts of this decision. Brought to you by Mah Sing; Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life. Editor's note: It...
Nov 01, 2021•29 min
We dissect Budget 2022, and discuss if conservation of the environment was prioritised in this year's budget with Sharan Raj, a Central Committee Member of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM). We also focus on the government's plans to provide full exemption from import and excise duties as well as sales tax for Electric Vehicles (EV), to support the development of the local EV industry, and the impacts of this decision. Brought to you by Mah Sing; Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life. Image credit: See omny...
Nov 01, 2021•29 min
The Wildlife Conservation (Amendment) Bill 2021 was tabled for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat earlier this month, and will include new provisions, namely Section 88A and 88B, that provide for punishments for those who organise wildlife shows and promote wildlife. We discuss the proposed amendments and whether it will go far enough to fill the loopholes in existing wildlife laws, with Mariani Ramli (President, Hak Asasi Hidupan Liar Malaysia (HIDUP) and Rajesh Nagarajan (Animal Rights Lawy...
Oct 27, 2021•37 min
We discuss some of the biggest environment-related news from October, with Wong Siew Lyn and Law Yao Hua, the Co-Founders, Co-Editors and Writers from Macaranga , including the Wildlife Conservation (Amendment) Bill 2021, Malaysia's ambitious target of becoming a carbon-neutral nation by as early as 2050, and also the intense and unusual flooding in Penampang, Sabah, and how improperly planned and rampant development may be playing a part in this. Image credit: shutterstock.com See omnystudio.co...
Oct 25, 2021•15 min
It's Bat Week this week, an international, annual celebration created to raise awareness about the need for bat conservation. In line with that, we pay tribute to these tiny ecosystem services providers, who, although hardly seen, are hard at work all around the world each night, busy working on so many things, from pest control to plant pollination. Joining us to share why bats are so awesome are the folks from the research group Rimba's Project Pteropus , Dr Sheema Abdul Aziz (Principal ...
Oct 25, 2021•31 min
The “One Health” concept isn't something new. It's been described as an idea that had been known for more than a century; that human health and animal health are interdependent, and bound to the health of the ecosystems in which they exist. We do a 101 on this approach on today's show, and also specifically explore how the One Health approach can offer solutions to the health problems of the tropics, with Professor Dr Latiffah Hassan, a veterinary public health epidemiologist a...
Oct 20, 2021•30 min
A public park, run by a public trust, in perpetuity - that's the plan for the very popular Taman Tugu , a 66-acre rehabilitated and regenerated forest park in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. With more than 5km of forest trails which is open and free to all, the park was initially set to be converted into a for-profit tourist attraction theme-park, before it was protected. We speak to Calvin Jacob, the Executive Director of the Taman Tugu Project and Tracey Surin, Taman Tugu Project's Head of Fundrais...
Oct 18, 2021•37 min
Most of us understand that our relationship with the planet isn't great, and that for humanity to survive, we need to make some changes, and fast. It's easy to get overwhelmed, but one simple way forward is available in the form of Permaculture, which allows everyone the chance to be part of a transition to a more eco-friendly, ethical and sustainable future. How? We find out from two permaculture advocates and practitioners, Abdul Razak Abdul Aziz, the co-founder of SEEDS Malaysia , and Jumaatu...
Oct 13, 2021•40 min
Live hornbills, dead green sea turtles, live gibbons, horns from dead rhinos - just some of the seizures made by authorities, over the past two months alone. Dead or alive, these and more wildlife are still being actively traded all over Southeast Asia and the world. How do we even begin to combat these massive conservation crimes, which includes the illegal wildlife trade? We discuss this and more with Elizabeth John, a Senior Communications Officer at TRAFFIC Southeast Asia , an NGO working in...
Oct 11, 2021•47 min
It's that time of the year again, when plain pouched hornbills migrate from their breeding grounds in Thailand to Malaysia, and if you're lucky enough, you'll get to see 10 species of hornbills in areas like Royal Belum State Park in Perak, where the other nine species of hornbills can be found. Andrew Sebastian, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of the Ecotourism & Conservation Society Malaysia (ECOMY) joins us once again for a quick refresher on hornbills in Malaysia, and to share more...
Oct 06, 2021•11 min
The Malayan Rainforest Station believes in conservation through empowerment. The environmental NGO which is based in Merapoh, Pahang - a unique landscape teeming with biodiversity - has a strong focus on research and wildlife conservation, but they are also working hard on awareness-raising campaigns, and capacity building programs with the local communities in the area, all in the name of environmental conservation. We find out more from Izereen Mukri, who is the President of Malayan Rainforest...
Oct 06, 2021•40 min
It's been over a year since the Shah Alam City Council proposed to build a road right across the Shah Alam Community Forest. Two hectares of pristine rainforest, hundreds of trees and species, and the forest trails used and loved by many on a daily basis, destroyed forever - for a single road. The battle between the community and state government over this forest continues, and we catch up with the folks from the Shah Alam Community Forest (SACF) Society, Alicia Teoh (Founder & Secretary) an...
Oct 04, 2021•33 min
With the recent announcement of the 12th Malaysia Plan, we dissect the key points of the environmental agenda under the blueprint with Meenakshi Raman, the President of Sahabat Alam Malaysia , and discuss whether the proposed strategies will be sufficient to brace the impact of climate change and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, while protecting factors of economic growth and development in Malaysia. Image credits: TheEdgeMarkets.com and Pixabay.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...
Sep 29, 2021•46 min
In this month's roundup of environmental news with Macaranga's Wong Siew Lyn & Law Yao Hua, we celebrate the success of Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve being saved from development, albeit after a very long and tiring campaign. We also look at how this issue and the recently tabled Protected Areas Act in Pahang is related to the powers and roles of the state government in deciding what to conserve or not. Next, we discuss how Malaysian authorities seized smuggled hornbills and rhinoc...
Sep 27, 2021•17 min
