10 theSun | THRUSDAY SEPTEMBER 3 2009

INTERVIEWS VIEWS

&ORLIMITEDTIMEONLY

by Meena L. Ramadas “The locals told us there were

Ulu Muda under threat

[email protected] limestone caves in the area but
we didn’t believe them at first,”
HILLS shrouded in mist, cool said Hymier. “Finally, Ronn and
waters and columns of light that I decided to find out and sure
illuminate the green abundance enough we did.”
amid the shadows. Such is the The two caves are on a steep
beauty and mystery of the Ulu Surin, the people may also face a ing to Surin, the structure is used mineral concentrated waters. slope near the Kuala Labua
Muda forest. hike in water rates as the water by poachers as salt licks to attract “The salt licks aid in digestion. campsite. It was a three-hour trek
Tucked away 95km east of supply would require more filtra- elephants, deer and tapir. It also improves the animal’s to get there, on a track littered
Alor Star in Kedah, this gargan- tion, raising cost of production. “I don’t know how rampant diet,” said Hymier, who together with elephant tracks, and tapir
tuan green lung – all 160,000ha The forest retained rainfall poaching is but almost all the salt with Rohani Rahmani aka Ronn and deer dung. These sights are
of it – has many secrets that and released it slowly to the licks we visited had some sort of discovered limestone caves in among the astounding rarities
might disappear in the blink of rivers and its tributaries while structure like that,” he said. Ulu Muda a few years ago. that Ulu Muda has to offer.
an eye. preventing severe evaporation. Friends of Ulu Muda 2, a
Ulu Muda is a network of “Without it, the three dams will joint venture between several The forests of
eight forest reserves that border experience fluctuations of water NGOs, is spearheading the fight Ulu Muda cover
Thailand and is a production levels that will be either too high to conserve it. about 160,000ha
forest reserve which means that or too low,” said Surin. During a recent media trip (twice the size
the forest can be logged. Ulu Muda is also prone to the to Ulu Muda, the endangered of Perlis) within
Parts of the forest were logged dangers of exploitation, including plain-pouched hornbill was the districts
between the 1960s and the 1990s, unsustainable tourism develop- sighted from Sira Bungor. of Baling,
said Surin Suksuwan, World ment and road construction. As dusk approached, flocks Padang Terap
Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) A series of asbestos chalets flew overhead in a ‘V’ formation and Sik in the
Malaysia’s chief technical officer are being built in Kuala Labua before disappearing behind the northeastern
for Peninsular Malaysia. – two-hour boat ride from the foliage. corner of Kedah.
In 2002, Kedah Mentri Besar Kopam jetty in Gulau – to the According to Surin, this spe-
cies is listed in the International
Union for Conservation of Nature
Red Data Book as vulnerable to
extinction.
As such, Ulu Muda is con-
sidered an Important Bird Area
credited with 175 species.
One of the world’s smallest
bird of prey, the black-thigh
falconet was spotted at Sira
Bungor.
According to the Department
of Wildlife and National Parks,
Ulu Muda has more than 30 salt
licks that attract many plant-eat-
ing animals.
Sira Hangat is the most
exceptional salt lick as it is also
a hot spring and attracts many
herbivores that consume its

The impact of the logging will affect

not only the people of Kedah but also
the people of Penang and Perlis. If the
forest were to be logged, the water quality
A flimsy wooden platform (top) and quantity would be affected.”
used by poachers near a salt lick.
– Surin Suksuwan, WWF Malaysia’s chief technical

Rally against logging

Datuk Seri Syed Razak Syed dismay of NGOs that prefer officer for Peninsular Malaysia.
Zain proposed selective heli-log- the area to be marketed as
ging where the felled trees are an eco-tourist site.
transported via helicopters. “For now, the tourist FRIENDS of Ulu Muda II is a coali- biodiversity;
However, his proposal was activities must be low- tion of 19 environmental NGOs and » The federal government to
met with an uproar from vari- impact ones which did civil groups that aims to prevent deliver on its promise to compen-
ous quarters, including NGOs, not affect the ecology the social, environmental and food sate Kedah for not logging in Ulu
politicians, government officials heavily,” said Surin. crises that will arise if the Ulu Muda Muda; and
and farmers. Moreover, according area is logged. » a trust fund set up to protect
On May 18, 2003, the cabinet to cave expert and bird The coalition wants: the water catchment areas. The
decided that large-scale logging watching enthusiast » Zero logging in the area; coalition feels the Penang state
must be stopped in Ulu Muda Hymier Kamariduan, the » The government to declare the government, private companies
and the area protected as a water proposed road construc- catchment area and the public should contribute
catchment. tion leading to the chalets a national or to the fund. Federal and state agen-
However, in June 2008, envi- would pose a lot of prob- For more information, see state park to cies, NGOs, private sectors and
ronmentalists became worried lems. http://saveulumuda.wordpress.com protect and farmers would oversee expenditure
when Mentri Besar Datuk Seri “There will be more conserve its to ensure funds are used wisely.
Azizan Abdul Razak announced occurrences of illegal
that the state was considering hunting and poaching,”
selective logging in Ulu Muda said Hymier.
as it needed a good source of
funds.
Azizan reportedly said the
Tell-tale signs of
poaching are already
apparent. In Sira Bun-
Cave expert
Hymier
Kamarudin
Quick facts
selective logging need not be gor – one of the many » A grouping of eight forest reserves gor reserve.
carried out if the federal govern- salt licks in the area totalling 162,931ha situated 95km » Several critically endangered
ment compensated Kedah with – Friends of Ulu east of Alor Star, Kedah. tree species prized for timber like
RM100 million a year for not Muda 2 repre- » An environmentally-sensitive area the mersawa, keruing, gerutu and
logging Ulu Muda. sentatives no- rank 1 under the federal National meranti are found in the area.
The selective logging will re- ticed a flimsy Physical Plan which means no de- » In 2002, former Kedah Mentri
sult in Kedah deriving a revenue w o o d e n velopment, agriculture and logging Besar Datuk Syed Razak Syed Zain
of RM16 billion with three to four platform are allowed in the area. Only low- said the state was considering
trees felled for every hectare. or a hike impact nature tourism, research logging Ulu Muda. However, the
“This is a short-term gain across the and education is allowed. federal government gazetted it as
for the state. The impact of the salt lick. » Parts of the forest were once a water catchment area the follow-
logging will affect not only the Ac- “restricted areas” as communists ing year, thus protecting it.
people of Kedah but also the cord- used the area to obtain supplies. » In June 2008, Mentri Besar Datuk
people of Penang and Perlis,” » There are three man-made lakes Azizan Abdul Razak approved
said Surin. “If the forest were to in the catchment area -- Muda, Ahn- logging in the catchment areas, re-
be logged, the water quality and ing and Pedu -- which have dams portedly saying the state had to log
quantity would be affected.” that irrigate padi fields producing the area for additional revenue due
Ulu Muda has three dams, about 40% of the country’s rice. to the federal government reneg-
Ahning, Pedu and Muda, that » Home to more than 240 species ing on its promise to compensate
supply 80% of Penang’s, Kedah’s of mammals, reptiles, amphibians Kedah for not logging.
and Perlis’s water needs while and freshwater fish as well as 450 » In response, 19 environmental
feeding 96,000ha of padi fields flowering plant species. NGOs and civil groups including
with clear water. » One of only two places in the Malaysian Nature Society, WWF and
Increased sedimentation will country where the white-handed Penang Water Watch have revived
harm padi yield as the crops gibbon and the agile gibbon co-ex- the coalition called Friends of Ulu
need clean water. According to ist. The other is the Belum-Temeng- Muda 2 to oppose the logging.