PETALING JAYA: A group of environmental activists have expressed disappointment over the announcement by the government that it planned to utilise five trillion cubic metres of groundwater. They said groundwater tapping should be seen as a last resort. Executive director of the Ecotourism and Conservation Malaysia (Ecomy) Andrew Sebastian said the Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar should instead think of ways to protect natural water resources. “I am disappointed. Being a minister doesn’t mean you exploit natural resources. “You should find ways how to properly manage and protect our water resources which are very important for the country, not only for now but f

World Tapir Day is celebrated every year internationally on 27th April. ECOMY has been celebrating the unique event since 2016 in support of conserving habitat crucial to the Malayan Tapir and to enhance the awareness of our unique mammal. Every year ECOMY partners with the Department of Wildlife & National Parks and corporate supporters such as POCOTOEE & FRIENDS, Watson’s Malaysia, Fiffy Baby Clothings, Mutiara Taman Negara, University Putra Malaysia and Bird Group Taman Taman Negara to host local schools in a series of day long education activities. Join us in April 2020!

PETALING JAYA: Two environmentalists have blamed government apathy for the pollution of rivers in the country. Reacting to a report that Sungai Kedah has become too dirty to be used as a source of water supply for consumers in Alor Setar, they urged the federal and state governments to be aggressive in protecting the country’s rivers. Eco-tourism and Conservation Society CEO Andrew Sebastian and Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam president Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil called for better monitoring of rivers and stronger enforcement of laws against pollution. Yesterday, Bernama quoted Kedah executive councillor Zamri Yusoff as saying Sungai Kedah’s pollution level was at Class 3, which means wat

PETALING JAYA: A new and better way of dealing with waste through mechanical biological treatment would solve many problems, according to the Malaysian Nature Society. The society’s president, Ahmad Ismail said the government should move away from landfills and incinerators which create air and water pollution. Sanitary landfills would reduce open burning, prevent contamination of water and produce energy, but a better option would be the mechanical biological treatment, widely practised in Europe, he said. The technology involves fermentation, drying and separation, with the benefits of recycling, converting waste to energy and producing compost. “The cost may be higher but it solves many i

PETALING JAYA: An environmentalist has criticised Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok over her response to a video showing international school students speaking out against the palm oil industry at a concert, saying everyone has the right to express his or her views. Eco-tourism and Conservation Society Malaysia CEO Andrew Sebastian also told FMT that the students should be praised for taking an interest in an issue, researching it and making a stand. “She (Kok) should not thwart the voice of the young,” he said, adding that her criticism was “appalling”. Commenting on the video yesterday, Kok had accused the school of not supporting Putrajaya’s efforts to counter the anti-palm oil lobby