EIA proposal cannot be applied

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EIA proposal ‘cannot be applied’ - The New Straits Times

By Deborah Loh debloh

 

KUALA LUMPUR, May 14. — A Federal Government proposal to make Environment

Impact Assessments mandatory for all logging projects in areas less than 500

hectares will not be implemented as land-use issues are under the States'

jurisdiction.

 

Science, Technology and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Law Hieng Ding said

the Attorney-General's Chambers had advised the ministry that such a law was

not feasible as forests, like other land resources, were State matters.

 

Law was today asked about the proposal, which was made about four years ago

by the Forestry Department (peninsula).

 

The department had proposed that logging projects of less than 500ha be

subjected to an EIA with mitigating measures.

 

Currently, under the Environmental Quality Act 1974, only logging projects

in areas exceeding 500ha require an EIA. Loggers have taken advantage of

this by felling trees in areas of lesser size under different concessions to

avoid conducting EIAs.

 

An EIA is also mandatory for other projects where the same hectarage of

forests is cleared for any development purpose.

 

Law said Sabah and Sarawak had their own laws governing EIA requirements for

clearing of forest areas.

 

Law was speaking to reporters after launching the second Science Council of

Asia (SCA) conference here on sustainable development for Asian countries.

 

He said environmental laws would be reviewed to maintain a balance between

safeguarding the environment while pursuing economic development.

 

Legislation under his ministry would be reviewed to see which sections

required amendments.

 

" Laws should not impede development but they should also ensure that the

quality of our environment is improved or maintained, " he said.

 

Earlier, in his speech, Law said sustainable development within the

Malaysian context should consider the country's economic and growth needs.

 

" Opening up land for these purposes (industrial and residential areas) is a

neccesity for us to progress.

 

" We cannot completely freeze opening land in the name of sustainable

development, " he said.

 

SCA president Tan Sri Omar Abdul Rahman said the council, comprising 10

member countries, was working on creating a set of indicators to gauge the

success of sustainable development.

 

Once an index is approved by all members, it will be promoted throughout

Asia for use in measuring sustainable development, he said. The council is

also developing academic programmes in sustainable science for post-graduate

and undergraduate levels.

 

Also present was current Science Adviser to the Prime Minister Tan Sri Ahmad

Zaharudin Idrus.

 

 

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