Reasignación de personal en algunas actividades del proceso para una

The current Malaysia Plan (MP) is the Tenth Malaysia Plan (2011-2015) which was presented by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, to the House of Representatives on 10 June 2010. The first MP was tabled in Parliament in 1965 and it has been revised and renewed at five-year intervals ever since.

160 Id at 6. 161 Ibid. 162 Ibid. 163 _{See note 158 at 7.}

135 For the purpose of forest conservation-related matters, the researcher has examined and selected the most relevant MPs that depict the government’s efforts at forest conservation in outlining and planning the states’ development. Before that, a brief introduction to previous MPs is appropriate in order to observe how government planning has prioritized the forest.

In the First MP (1966-1970), the government emphasized economic and social development and progress164 in order to build an independent nation; hence, environmental concerns were not a priority in this particular plan. In the Second MP (1971-1975), it can be seen that forest was placed under Chapter IX - Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing. In that particular era there was a major expansion and clearance of forested land in order to establish rubber, oil palm and kernel estates. However, the government in that particular period made an effort to establish a Forest Research Laboratory in Kepong and a Forest Institution for the purpose of forest matters and concerns.165 The Third Malaysia Plan (1976-1890) was a continuation of the previous plan where agriculture continued to play an important role in the economy and forestry was still placed under the same Chapter of the previous plan.166

In the Fourth MP (1981-1985), forestry was placed under Chapter XV - Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry.167 It seems that the government started to show more concern for forestry aspects in the fifth MP (1986-1990); this was a continuation of the previous MP and it attempted to redress socio-economic imbalances and eradicate

164 _{Official Portal of Economic Planning Unit Prime Minister’s Department Malaysia, First Malaysia Plan, 1966-1970, 1 June} .2010, 1 Mar. 2011 <http://www.epu.gov.my/first>. See also <http://pmr.penerangan.gov.my>.

165 _{Official Portal of Economic Planning Unit Prime Minister’s Department Malaysia, Second Malaysia Plan, 1971-1975, 1 June} .2010, 1 Mar. 2011 <http://www.epu.gov.my/second>

166

Third Malaysia Plan, 1976-1980 (Government Press, Kuala Lumpur, 1976) 167

Official Portal of Economic Planning Unit Prime Minister’s Department Malaysia, Fourth Malaysia Plan, 1981-1985, 1 June.2010, 1 Mar.2011 <http://www.epu.gov.my/fourth>

136 poverty.168 In the Sixth MP (1991-1995) forest was placed under the environment section of the plan and was no longer included among commodity resources.169 The government’s interest in conserving forest was seen in the next plan in which the National Biodiversity Policy was launched in April 1998. In this Seventh plan (1996- 2000), forest was placed under Chapter 19 in the Environment and Sustainable Resource Management section.170 In the Eighth MP (2001-2005), forest matters were placed under the same Chapter as the previous plan. This plan focused on the development and progress of the country towards fully-developed nation status by the year 2020.171 The Ninth MP (2006-2010) started to emphasize preventive measures to reduce pollution by introducing environmental planning, i.e. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and also enhancement of Research and Development (R&D). With regard to forestry the government made several efforts to upgrade the status of forest conservation.172 The Tenth Malaysia Plan (2011-2015) focuses on economic stability and social justice, with funding being allocated to physical development and non- physical development on the basis of a 60/40 ratio. In this particular plan, forest has been placed under Chapter 6 – Building an Environment that Enhances Quality Of Life; the issue on conserving forests was underlined under subchapter 6: Valuing the Nation’s Environmental Endowments.173

Thus, a number of the above-mentioned MPs have signified the importance of forest from an environmental perspective. The Fourth, Fifth, Ninth and Tenth MPs have highlighted the government’s emphasis on dealing with the issue of forest conservation

168 _{Fifth Malaysian Plan, 1986-1990, (National Printing Department: Kuala Lumpur, 1986), 279.}

169 _{Official Portal of Economic Planning Unit Prime Minister’s Department Malaysia, Sixth Malaysia Plan, 1990-1995, 1 June} .2010, 1 Mar. 2011 <http://www.epu.gov.my/sixth>

170

Official Portal of Economic Planning Unit Prime Minister’s Department Malaysia, Seventh Malaysia Plan, 1996-2000, 1 June 2010, 1 Mar. 2011 <http://www.epu.gov.my/seventhmalaysiaplan>

171 _{Official Portal of Economic Planning Unit Prime Minister’s Department Malaysia, Eighth Malaysia Plan, 2001-2005, 1 June} 2010, 1 Mar. 2011 <http://www.epu.gov.my/eightmalaysiaplan>

172

Malaysia, The Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department, The Ninth Malaysia Plan, 2006-2010, (Putrajaya: The Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department: Putrajaya, 2006) 453.

173

Official Portal of Economic Planning Unit Prime Minister’s Department Malaysia, The Tenth Malaysia Plan, (10th MP), 1 June

137 in Malaysia as compared to the other Malaysian Plans which mentioned the issue of the environment without specifically referring to forest conservation issues.

The endorsement of the National Forestry Policy during the Fourth Malaysia Plan was a significant indication that the government was becoming serious about forest conservation. Therefore all states in Peninsular Malaysia have accepted and adopted the Policy in their practice for the purpose of standardizing forest matters. Under this new policy, the Permanent Forest Estate (PFE) was introduced and this reflects the government’s intention to reserve some parts of the forest for the purpose of conservation. Besides the introduction of a new approach to forest conservation, several programmes for the forest were also identified, i.e. Forest Regeneration Programme, Forest Industries Development, etc.174

According to Chapter IX of the Fifth MP, under the theme of Environment, the government, in its lengthy reports of progress and prospects, had identified issues and mechanisms to protect and conserve the environment. In the past, the government’s priority was to achieve a balance between development and environment. Thus, in this period of the plan, the government continued to bring a greater balance to the exploitation of natural resources by implementing and enforcing relevant environmentally-related legislation, at the same time developing strategies to deal with future problems. Forest was placed under this Chapter IX where, in the progress part, it was reported that there were 776,400 ha of National Parks and Wildlife Reserve in Peninsular Malaysia.175 These natural forest habitats, besides being an important space

174

See note 167 at 271. 175 _{See note 168 at 287.}

138 and home for wild flora and fauna, are also crucial for the protection of watersheds and the maintenance of the hydrological cycle.176

The Ninth Malaysia Plan had placed an emphasis on preventive measures to mitigate and minimize pollution.177 The application of relevant Environmental Planning Tools such as the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), environmental auditing, etc has been highlighted in order to minimize the undesirable impact on the environment. Besides the application of related environmental tools, Research and Development with regard to forest will be strengthened.178 It also stressed the development of the Environmental Sensitive Areas (ESA) in meeting the needs of sustainable development.179

Forest is placed under the Natural Resource Management part alongside other natural resources such as land, water, biodiversity, minerals, and marine and coastal areas.180 This particular part highlights the establishment of new three protected areas, Taman Negara DiRaja Belum (the Royal Belum), Taman Negara Pulau Pinang and Taman Warisan Selangor. The number of protected areas has now increased from 37 to 40.181 Besides the establishment of Taman Negara, the establishment of forest plantations has also increased to 75,800 ha.182

With regard to the efforts to conserve the forest in 2005, 67 companies had been certified by the Malaysian Criteria and Indicators 2001 (MC&I).183 This shows that private companies have also started to contribute to the effort besides the government 176 Ibid. 177 _{See note 172 at 463.} 178 _{Id at 453.} 179 _{Id. at 456.} 180 Id 456-458. 181 Id. at 457. 182 Ibid. 183 _Ibid.

139 and that forests are now beginning to be recognized as the world’s heritage which needs to be sustained. Among other efforts also scheduled in the Ninth MP to help benefit the forest is the conservation and rehabilitation of mangrove forest; this plan was the outcome of the tsunami incidents of 2004.184 Thus, from the above facts it can be said that, through the Ninth MP, the government has made serious efforts to protect the forest besides other crucial issues in Malaysia.

The Tenth MP has shown concern over the issue of deforestation which was found to be responsible for approximately 20% of total global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG).185 Under this plan, the federal government has to ensure that forests in Malaysia are able to act as carbon sinks. The government has therefore encouraged all states to gazette their forests as protected areas, especially water catchment areas, and also to cooperate with the Non-Governmental Organisations in planting more trees to increase the amount of green space in the country. Local communities were also to be involved in order to upgrade their income186 and because local communities are the people who are closest to the forest, especially “Orang Asli”.