Guest guest Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 ***************************Advertisement*************************** ***************************************************************** This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling. Comment from sender: This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my) URL: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/5/20/nation/11003257 & sec=nation ________________________ Friday May 20, 2005 Law to protect flora and fauna <b>BY TEOH TEIK HOONG</b> KUALA LUMPUR: A new Act is being drafted to enhance protection for the country & #146;s highly endangered flora and fauna. Habitat protection includes ensuring the survival of indigenous species which would be covered by the Act, said Natural Resources and Environment Deputy Minister Datuk S. Sothinathan. & #147;The various departments under the Ministry are presently carrying out an inventory of flora and fauna in the country. & #147;We are putting together a comprehensive Act to protect our biodiversity in the long term, & #148; he said at the Forestry Department forestry school & #146;s graduation ceremony in Kepong yesterday. Sothinathan said the Act would function as an umbrella legislation to complement and address weaknesses in present laws like the National Forestry Act 1984 and the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. & #147;The Ministry is looking at several models in other countries and how they protect their biodiversity. We also have the National Biodiversity Policy to guide us in drafting this Act. & #147;It is our obligation to defend and protect our Top 12 ranking as one of the most mega-diverse countries in the world. & #147;It is important that we don & #146;t look at our trees as just timber. They play an important role in providing us water and they are home to our wildlife, & #148; he said, adding that no time frame had been set to present this Act as yet. It is understood that the ministry is working closely with the Science, Technology and Innovations Ministry to finalise details of the Act. On illegal logging in Tasik Temenggor, Sothinathan said enforcement officers from the Perak Forestry Department had been directed to step up surveillance to check on the extent of illegal logging in the area. Suspecting that the recent discovery of three merbau and one medang tree felled illegally could be just the & #147;tip of the iceberg & #148;, Sothinathan said he wanted the culprits brought to book. & #147;We will come down hard on them. Illegal logging must be controlled at all cost, & #148; he said. Sothinathan was commenting on Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali & #146;s confirmation that the felling of four grand old trees in Tasik Temenggor was illegal. <p> ________________________ Your one-stop information portal: The Star Online http://thestar.com.my http://biz.thestar.com.my http://classifieds.thestar.com.my http://cards.thestar.com.my http://search.thestar.com.my http://star-motoring.com http://star-space.com http://star-jobs.com http://star-ecentral.com http://star-techcentral.com 1995-2004 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Star Publications is prohibited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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