Malaysia's Agong Decrees at Least Half of Our Country Remains Forested

Malaysia's Agong has decreed that at least half of the country's land must be preserved as forested regions.

Malaysia's Agong Decrees that at least half of our country's land must be preserved as forested regions. Following protracted arguments over logging and deforestation activities in the country, Malaysia's monarch, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Abdullah of Pahang, has issued a proclamation stating that at least 50 per cent of the country's land should be protected as wooded zones, according to the BBC.

Malaysia's Agong Decrees To Protect Our Forest

When the monarch delivered his inaugural address at the first meeting of the fifth session of the 14th Parliament on February 28, 2022, he mentioned the need of addressing the threat of climate change, which he said Malaysia must do. The minister urged the country's leaders to begin implementing practices for sustainable forest management, with one of his recommendations being the restriction of logging and development activities so that at least half of Malaysia's land can be retained as forest, while special areas that can be designated as geoparks are given additional protection, as outlined in his speech.

He stated that he was aware of the impact that deforestation operations have had on the current climate and that such ongoing changes have resulted in unparalleled natural disasters that have recently befallen inhabitants of the country. Only a few months ago, huge floods damaged many sections of the country, destroying thousands of homes and causing countless lives to be negatively impacted as a result.

At Least 50% of Malaysia Will Remain Forested

Many have now accused the government of continuing deforestation activities as the primary cause of the disaster, and there have been increasing calls for the government to restrict forest-cutting activities. According to a report published in 2013, Malaysia saw the highest rate of forest loss in the world between 2000 and 2012, with a total land area, affected equal to more than 47,000 square kilometres - an area larger than the country of Denmark.

In 2020, the World Bank calculated that the total extent of wooded areas in Malaysia represented only 58 per cent of the entire country's landmass - a significant decrease from the previous projection of slightly more than 62 per cent. In response to such viewpoints, and in an effort to emphasize the importance of prevention over mitigation, the Agong stated that it was past time for the country's officials to make an effort to collaborate with those from the private sector and activist groups in order to improve the policies and instruments designed to deal with climate change and disasters.

Malaysia Deforestation Is So Rampant in the Last 20 Years

Source: Reddit

"The construction of a centralized disaster warning system, as well as upgrades to drainage systems – particularly in densely populated and high-risk areas – must be prioritized even more," he stated. According to the central disaster management committee meeting, the readiness of the necessary infrastructure and flood mitigation are the short and long-term plans to be implemented immediately.   The King has also urged that the upkeep of flood mitigation facilities, as well as the cleaning of public places, should be carried out regularly.

Will the Malaysian lawmakers heed Agong's decree?

The King has voiced his concern over this grave and serious issue which will eventually turn into a national threat. However, will the greedy Malaysian lawmakers and politicians heed the advice of our ruler or will they continue to exploit our country via logging and rampant development to fill up their own coffers? Or will they wake up and start protecting our green lungs? I am afraid the former seems more possible. What say you?