LETTERS: MALAYSIA has seen significant deforestation as evidenced by a 17 per cent decrease in rainforest cover between 2001 and 2021.
From 2002 to 2022, 2.85 million hectares of primary forest were lost, accounting for more than 33 per cent of the nation's tree cover loss during that time.
Malaysia's primary forest area decreased by 18 per cent during this period.
The nation lost 118,000ha of natural forest in 2022, which led to the emission of 83.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2).
And 8.92 million hectares of tree cover were lost between 2001 and 2022, a 30 per cent decrease from 2000 that resulted in 5.16 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions.
Most of Southeast Asia's primary forests are found in Malaysia and Indonesia.
A New Straits Times report said Malaysia recorded 90 cases of illegal logging in 2022.
When tropical forests are cut for timber, they lose their ability to absorb carbon dioxide, which causes stored carbon to be released into the atmosphere.
This interferes with the process of photosynthesis, which increases the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere by preventing the exchange of CO2 for oxygen.
In addition to increasing greenhouse gas emissions, forest conversion causes pollution and disturbs peat soils.
Deforestation endangers animals and the means of subsistence for indigenous groups that log. It is an environmental threat.
Malaysia lost nearly three million hectares of principal woodland between 2002 and 2020, accounting for 34 per cent of the nation's reduction in forests and 17 per cent of its primary forest area.
Environmentalists contend that Malaysia lags behind other countries in the protection of forests, despite praiseworthy replanting efforts.
The consequences also include habitat loss, which affects 70 per cent of terrestrial animal and plant species.
Threats to identified and undocumented species arise from disturbance to the rainforest's equilibrium, which is necessary for shelter and temperature regulation.
Indigenous populations have urgent concerns since they rely on trees for cultural resources and sustenance, especially in isolated areas with dense woods.
Fighting deforestation requires cooperation, with government action essential to putting policies into place.
To minimise the effects of deforestation, large-scale tree planting efforts must be launched in places where it has happened.
To restore depleted forests, we need to replant one tree for every one that is chopped down.
Furthermore, planting trees in urban areas represents a creative way to support environmental preservation.
Additionally, to prevent exploitation of priceless resources, protected areas must be established.
The loss of biodiversity continues even as the number of protected places grows over time.
Continuing efforts should focus on protecting area growth, especially in high-biodiversity areas, and improving related policies and guidelines to buck this trend.
It is imperative that tougher regulations controlling entry to these protected places be enforced.
Authorities play a vital role in the battle against deforestation, especially in enforcing strict restrictions against unlawful logging, plus imposing heavy penalties and jail sentences.
Giving conservation organisations more funding is one way to address and stop deforestation, apart from other approaches for reforestation as stated above.
DR RULIA AKHTAR
Research fellow,
Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies,
Universiti Malaya
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times