CLIMATE improvements in Malaysia during the early Covid-19 pandemic period were only short term and in vain, said green groups.

The positive climate changes are reversing more quickly now than before the lockdowns, they told The Malaysian Insight.

Among the reasons for this, the environmental experts said, was that many industries were making up for lost time and revenues by running their factories at capacity to clear backlogs.

On top of which, logging, mining and other uncontrolled development have also been ongoing.

Lee Jo Kien, lead analyst at Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre (TRCRC) said data from the Global Forest Watch showed a higher than normal deforestation rate in Malaysia.

“It showed that deforestation rates in Malaysia returned to normal in the second half of 2020, with the first quarter of 2021 seeing several high peaks compared to previous years.

“Whether this increasing trend continues is anyone’s guess, but the conservation community isn’t too optimistic about things.”

The reduction of economic pursuits during the movement control orders (MCO) meant reduced emissions for 2020, Lee acknowledged.

“Yet, one good year doesn’t negate the impact from decades of excesses as evidenced by the recurrence of floods in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia last December.”

He added that many environmentalists were glad that ecosystems were given a break early in the pandemic, and had capitalised on the “hibernation” period to raise public awareness.

Environmental lawyer and president of Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) Meena Raman said there would be no change towards environmentally conscious behaviours without a sustainable model.

“When we were into the pandemic for two to three months, we issued statements about improved water quality, river quality and clearer skies without haze, but all that has changed and pollution is coming back, unfortunately.

“It really showed that when the economic and business activities resume, they go back to the same old ways.”

She asked for strict laws to push for environmental compliance. For instance, she believed that a mandatory prison sentence for environmental crimes such as water pollution is a good move.

“It is not enough just to impose fines. The polluters always get away with it because they make quite a lot of profit.

“They don’t mind paying fines despite higher fines, but sentencing the company managers, the board of directors to a few days in jail will make a difference,” Meena said.

Introduce tough penalties

Meena equated the crime to putting poison in someone’s glass of water resulting in the consumer’s death or severe injuries.

“Criminal law will make sure that you have the death sentence or the life sentence or a very serious sentence.”

“There was also some effort by the ministry last year to involve the armed forces because it’s not enough to depend on the environmental officers,” Meena said.

In April, Environment and Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the ministry hopes to impose mandatory imprisonment for companies responsible for shutting down water supplies.

Meanwhile, Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam (Peka) president Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil said the temporary slowdown of human and business activities did not slow down disasters as a result of global warming.

“The ongoing essential services such as logging, mining and uncontrolled development have caused a lot of damage through floods and landslides,” Shariffa said.

She suggested the government look into new policies to protect and preserve nature, including ecotourism as a standard practice. 

“Malaysia is in a position to benefit from ecotourism, which encourages conservation, and this must be the way forward for the tourism industry in Malaysia.” – May 4, 2021.