PEKAN: Tasik Chini is facing the risk of losing its biosphere reserve status accorded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) if land clearing and mining are allowed to continue extensively.
If this happens, it will be a huge loss to the country, said former Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Tasik Chini Research Centre director Professor Datuk Seri Dr Mushrifah Idris.
“The status allows us to receive research funds to develop the area, including creating economic spillovers for the local community and Orang Asli.
“It is not easy to receive such recognition and the blame game will begin if Tasik Chini is removed from the biosphere reserve list,” she said.
Mushrifah said Unesco conducted an audit once every 10 years on all aspects under the biosphere reserve status.
The next audit would be carried out from May to September this year, which involves visits by Unesco representatives and subsequent preparation of reports.
“Based on current scenario, we might lose the biosphere reserve status if no rehabilitation efforts are done. Mining activities need to be done systematically.
“For example, the areas where mining has been completed has to be restored and covered with earth. Mining should be carried out in buffer zones.”
In 1996, Tasik Chini became the first site in the country to be accorded such prestigious recognition by the UN, the other being the Crocker Range in Sabah in 2014.
The New Straits Times had recently reported that Tasik Chini, the second largest freshwater lake in Malaysia, was at risk of destruction due to rampant iron ore mining at Bukit Ketaya near the lake.
The lack of buffer zones along the lake means that exposed red earth from the mining site would wash into the lake during downpours, polluting the once crystal-clear waters.
Mushrifah said extensive mining around Tasik Chini had affected surrounding areas, and past attempts to address the issue had fallen on deaf ears.
“I have spoken about the issues during meetings with government agencies, but the mining activities still continued,” she added.
Mushrifah also highlighted the apparent lack of environmental rehabilitation efforts carried out by the authorities, which had caused the lake to lose much of its appeal, including greenery.
“We are not against development or mining, but it has to be done systematically and followed up with rehabilitation efforts. We have technologies that can be adopted.
“I understand that the miners pay for a fund, which is supposed to be used for rehabilitation work in mining areas (where ore has been extracted), but little has been done.
“Where are the funds being channelled to?
“Are the miners paying the sum? There are a lot of questions about the fund and its purposes.”
Environmental problems in Tasik Chini were discovered last year when its water became murky, reportedly due to unregulated agriculture, mining and logging activities.
Then natural resources and environment minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar was quoted as saying that only two iron ore mines, approved by the state government in 2010, were operating near Tasik Chini and that there were no logging activities.
Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, during a visit to the lake, had also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to conserving and preserving the country’s second largest natural lake.