2013 May 06 « Dr Alf's Blog

Elaeocarpus holopetalus – Mount Imlay Rainforest (Photo credit: Poytr)

Pongo pygmaeus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Ongoing deforestation and palm oil plantations leave no room for the orang-utan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

oil palms in malaysia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This a powerful message from the Telegraph. Check it out!

Rainforest is destroyed for palm oil plantations on Malaysia’s island state of Sarawak – Telegraph.

Today, we have heard the results of yesterday’s general election in Malaysia; the Coalition are back in power with a lower majority; this is not good news for the rain-forest and wildlife.

Rain-forest deforestation in favor of palm oil cultivation and production will continue unless there is real pressure for change.

The election has highlighted corruption in Malaysia’s two states in Borneo – Sarawak and Sabah, where politicians have accepted bribes to develop the rain-forest.

There are young people in Malaysia, of all races who care. The international community needs to focus attention on Malaysia too, supporting those Malaysian’s who care about the rain-forest and the wildlife.

What can the international community do to help protect the rain-forest and the animals?

Here are two examples:

Focus on Malaysia wildlife tourism being misrepresented and inaccurate; with the huge falls in wildlife over the last ten years, more and more wildlife tourism is enclosures or quasi- zoos – this is very different from the rain-forest, the natural habitat; major Western travel companies probably need to be more careful with accuracy win descriptions of wildlife tourism
Encourage children around the World to sponsor endangered animals, like those in Malaysia.

What do you think?

♂ – Dorsal side :: Locality: Cameron Highlands, Malaysia Français : ♂ – Face dorsale :: Localité: Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaisie (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: A sarawakian-malay kampung house. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Kampong Baru (Photo credit: Catriona Ward)

A view of Titiwangsa Mountains taken from a tea plantation in Cameron Highlands. Many Indian scholars believed that the origins of the word Melayu came from the Sanskrit word Malayadipa (Mountain Insular Continent ), referring to the mountainous terrain of the Malay Peninsular. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………This is an important story reported by Reuters. Check it out!

Malaysia coalition extends rule despite worst electoral showing | Reuters.

Malaysia is a model of economic success but this is based upon a dated political model that favors Malays at the expense of Chinese, Indians and other minorities; this is simply racial discrimination. The Malay community receive vast handouts from the government. At every level of political and economic activity, there are interventions in favor of the Malays. Corruption is widespread. Personally, I am a passionate sponsor of the rain-forest and preserving wildlife but this will no doubt be relegated by the coalition Government.

I fear that many Chinese and Indians will have woken up Monday morning depressed with the results of the election. They were desparately looking for change and got

Romantic sunset at the beach in Malaysia (Photo credit: epSos.de)

more of the same coalition. Also there are many younger, more progressive Malays who want a more balanced society based upon meritocracy not privilege, race or corruption; they too will be saddened.

Any thoughts?