(MY) letters to editor to save Bukit Legong forest

[Guest guest]

Please protect our Bukit Legong forest

 

April 22: I WOULD support the appeal by Datuk Dr Abdul Razak

Mohd Ali, director-general of the Forest Research Institute Malaysia

(NST, April 18) to maintain the integrity of the Bukit Legong

permanent forest reserve.

 

Our leaders have promised the nation they will adopt balanced or

sustainable development and protect our environment. I hope this will

be honoured by them.

 

Extensive forest reserves have been allocated to developers and it

has reached a point when the nation must say " enough is enough " .

 

Prime forests with trees that are more than half a century old and rich

in biodiversity must take precedence over development that can be

done somewhere else.

 

These forests are, after all, economically beneficial to the nation as a

whole as they contain potential biochemicals useful to man, prevent

erosion, protect water sources and provide the habitats for many

other living things.

 

A truly developed nation is one that looks after the total environment

for the benefit of the majority and for other living creatures. Our

leaders must honour the Langkawi declaration and other promises on

the environment, not in speeches but in deeds. I had on previous

occasions said a great deal about the need for " real " balanced

development and the great economic benefit we can gain from our

natural heritage but I think I have not been effective.

 

I know writing alone is not effective in preventing the destruc-tion of

forest reserves, so I often wonder if the time has come to tie myself

to a tree to drive home the point? The director-general of FRIM has

my full support and that of many silent citizens.

 

A. Mustaffa Babjee Kuala Lumpur