Saturday, October 18, 2014
Thursday, October 16, 2014
NGO- IPSOMplus-plus or IPSOM++
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1574530816111780/
This is the local NGO for the Institute of Public Security of Malaysia where every one can do something for ourselves now and into the future.
This is the local NGO for the Institute of Public Security of Malaysia where every one can do something for ourselves now and into the future.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
TAB in deep trouble
Even the Tanjung Aru Eco Development project is attempting to set the Terms of
Reference for the Special Environmental Impact Assessment without having a
finalised Masterplan.
PRESS RELEASE: SEPA Warns of Breakdown
on Environmental Safeguards in Sabah
Kota Kinabalu, 12th
October 2014: In a statement issued today, the Sabah Environmental Protection
Association (SEPA) warns that the ‘rule of law’ in Sabah is being disregarded
and projects that are unsustainable are being fast tracked without following
proper procedures.
“The recent floods in
Sabah are a result of breakdown of Sabah’s environmental safeguards as we have
seen how blatantly unsustainable development is taking place,” said SEPA
President, Lanash Thanda.
Defining
"unsustainable developments” as development that occurs at the
expense of future generations, SEPA said the State Government must ensure that
safeguards placed in terms of laws, regulations and policies be adhered too to
ensure that future generations do not suffer from mistakes made today.
“Irresponsible
planning, non-adherence to due process, disregard for the laws,
and environmental degradation through exploitation of resources generates
waste and pollution. Such practices are not sustainable in the long term and it
is our children and our grandchildren and great grandchildren that will have to
bear the burden. We cannot allow this to
happen, we must do better and this is simple enough to do by following laws,
regulations, policies and procedures that we already have, these are our
environmental safeguards, we have them and we must use them,” said Lanash.
SEPA also stated that
interference from interested parties to fast track and by pass environmental
safeguards enshrined in legislation must stop and civil servants must be
allowed to carry out there jobs without fear of political interference of any
sort.
“In the past the
people of Sabah could rely on the planning and environmental laws that are
available in the State to eliminate environmental hazards, pollution,
environmental impacts and corruption that would ultimately affect the people.
However this system is now being eroded by being by-passed or fast tracked,” warned
Lanash.
SEPA cited examples
such as the 2,300 acres of the Aquaculture project in Pitas where pristine
mangrove swamps were cleared before receiving approval for Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) as mandated by the State law. Another case in the city itself
is the recent hill clearing/cutting for the new Court Complex on Jalan Sharrif
Osman which is being carried out without following the necessary procedures.
Even the Tanjung Aru Eco Development project is attempting to set the Terms of
Reference for the Special Environmental Impact Assessment without having a
finalised Masterplan.
“These three examples
are only the tip of the iceberg and we cannot in good conscience allow such
blatant disregard for the rule of law as ultimately it will affect the well
being of communities and future development of Sabah,” stated Lanash.
SEPA points out that
in the past year alone, the media have been filled with environmental
incidences of flash floods, hill cutting, water issues, pollution, communities
livelihoods affected, human-wildlife conflict.
All these factors in some way or another can be contributed to
development that has been conducted unsustainably and is linked to the
breakdown of these environmental safeguards.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
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