Wildlife Management Plan implemented to address impact of ECRL on biodiversity

Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said through the plan, mitigation measures were implemented along the ECRL alignment including creating ecological corridors to allow wildlife to move safely and reduce habitat fragmentation.

"The Department of Wildlife Protection and National Parks of Peninsular Malaysia (Perhilitan) has signed an agreement with the developers of the ECRL project in the implementation of wildlife mitigation.

"This agreement is valid until 2027 to guarantee the sustainability of wildlife and its habitat," he said during the Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat.

He was responding to a question from Shaharizukirnain Abd Kadirs (PN-Setiu) about the impact of the ECRL project on biodiversity in the forest reserve which has led to conflicts between wildlife and humans.

Nik Nazmi said other mitigation measures included conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before the project started, continuous monitoring and control of human and wildlife conflict through advisory services and the installation of traps against certain wildlife species.

He said a study on human-elephant conflict was also carried out by installing satellite collars on elephant herds to find out their movements and routes to provide suitable wildlife corridors.

Meanwhile, Nik Nazmi said 80,375 complaints of human and wildlife conflict have been received since 2018 and involved losses estimated at RM62.5 million.

He said a total of 7,925 complaints were reported in 2018, followed by more than 9,700 complaints in 2019, 11,800 complaints (2020), 12,800 complaints (2021), 13,000 complaints (2022), 13,670 complaints (2023) and 11,341 complaints so far this year.

In another development, in response to a supplementary question Muhammad Islahuddin Abas (PN-Mersing) during an oral question and answer session, Nik Nazmi stated that the government is prepared to consider establishing an integrated chemical disposal centre if the volume of waste exceeds the capacity of existing facilities.

Muhammad Islahuddin wanted to know whether the government has studied the need to develop an integrated chemical disposal centre that is equipped with environmentally friendly waste treatment facilities in selected localities to deal with river and sea pollution due to industrial waste.

Nik Nazmi said that currently, every premises that manages waste has technology approved by the Department of the Environment, which conducts regular monitoring to ensure safe operations and compliance with environmental quality standards.

-- BERNAMA