PRIME Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Malaysia takes its commitment to conservation seriously and is proud to be a signatory to an extensive list of global treaties on the preservation of wildlife, forestry and the environment.

He said multilateral environmental agreements the country has entered into are viewed as a part of the responsibility to the planet and to the people to protect their right to food, clothing and shelter.

He said Malaysia has kept its environmental promises, including to keep at least half of its land mass under forest cover, which it had pledged to do at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992.

 “Today, almost three decades later, I am proud to announce that we have not reneged on that pledge. Malaysia’s forest cover is currently at 55.3%, or 18.3 million hectares, of our total land area, exceeding Malaysia’s initial commitment at the Rio Earth Summit.

“This represents the nation’s will and commitment to conserve and sustainably manage our forest, its flora and fauna,” he said, at yesterday’s side event to the UN General Assembly, in New York, USA.

Malaysia, with the support of Pakistan, Turkey, and the UN Economic and Social Affairs Department, was the main organiser of the forum, Environmental Stewardship in Addressing Poverty to Achieve Sustainable Development for All.

Dr Mahathir said Malaysia, despite its economic growth and rapid urbanisation, has preserved its forests, adopting pragmatic, progressive and sustainable development policies to increase the yield of its existing agricultural land to meet growing demand.

He said that although Malaysia has put in place various efforts to prevent environmental loss, it faces challenges from its growing socio-economic development needs.

 “The increasing population of Malaysia brings with it an increased demand for food, water and other infrastructure which places pressure on our natural resources and environment,” he said.

Dr Mahathir also highlighted the 11th  Malaysia Plan (2016-2020) where substantial resources are allocated to address climate change as well as to enhance conservation and restoration efforts. – Bernama, September 27, 2019.