The main economic pillars of the Northern Corridor – agriculture, manufacturing and tourism – heavily rely on, and significantly impact, the conditions and sustainability of the environment. Forest and water bodies represent approximately 56.6% of the total land area of the Northern Corridor. This natural environment has to be protected and conserved in the course of carrying out development activities so that development can be sustainable. Failure to maintain and sustain the environment will impact the development of subsequent generations.
Achieving Sustainable and Efficient Use of Natural Resources
The major issue facing the sustainable and efficient usage of natural resources in the Northern Corridor is the lack of integrated management of water resources, energy and waste. Lack of water management in the Northern Region can cause flooding during periods of high rainfall and poor irrigation of agricultural areas during the dry season.
These floods have largely been caused by the lack of water management infrastructure including irrigation and drainage, man-made lakes and reservoirs. Additionally, although water is a scarce resource, data indicate that the Region is not using its water effectively and that non-revenue water is high.
In addition to water, energy consumption and waste also need to be reduced, as a large part of energy consumed is from non-renewable sources like gas and coal, which depend on imported feedstock and cause some pollution during generation. Waste should be reduced both to lessen the need to treat it and to cut down the use of non-renewable materials. Since the development of the Region is expected to accelerate through the implementation of the initiatives in this Blueprint, water management, energy conservation and waste management practices need to be introduced to reduce the stress on natural resources in the Region.
The key programmes to be implemented are as follows.
1). Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM)
Efficient and effective irrigation is important as agriculture is dominant in the NCER. Better irrigation systems would improve agricultural activity and mitigate flooding in the NCER.
• Irrigation currently consumes about 70% of the total surface water used in Malaysia.
• However, irrigation efficiency is only about 45% and the water productivity index is 0.3kg per m3.
• The Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry aims to increase the irrigation efficiency to 60% and the water productivity index to 0.5kg per m3.
Proposed IWRM programmes to improve irrigation efficiency and water productivity include:
• Implementation of Urban Stormwater Management Manual (MASMA) in urban development, such as ‘source-control’ measures and ‘swale-type’ drainage systems
• Promoting water conservation and recycling amongst industrial users of water by providing incentives for the installation of water-saving devices and rainwater harvesting equipment
• Deepening irrigation canals to improve irrigation efficiency, water productivity and alleviate flood hazards
2). Encouraging Energy Efficiency
The demand for energy is expected to rise as industrial activities increase in the Northern Corridor. One way to use energy more effectively is through phase-by-phase encouragement for in situ energy generation (i.e. co-generation of electricity and steam in industrial estates), as opposed to using grid electricity. The generation of electricity is a relatively inefficient use of energy, as typical efficiency rates are in the range of 45% for Combined-Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plants. Instead of depending on electricity, industrial activities will be encouraged to be concentrated in a few industrial estates in the Northern Corridor. This will enable sufficient scale for the provision of energy co-generation services, which typically have a much higher
efficiency rate of around 80%. Such measures will help reduce the import of gas and coal, and moderate the need for new generation capacity as existing plants retire over the next few years. In addition, companies with access to agricultural biomass shall be encouraged to use it as feedstock for their power needs.
3). Improving Waste Management
Measures will be implemented to reduce or reuse industrial waste. These include exploring alternative uses for the waste. For example, agricultural waste such as empty oil palm fruit bunches and rice husks can be turned into fibre to produce paper and packaging.
For general consumers, programmes to increase awareness, ease adoption, provide incentives and strengthen enforcement will be implemented to increase recycling and reduce waste by promoting the 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) culture. This includes increasing the number of recycling centres and encouraging consumers to sort their household waste.
Environmental Protection
The natural environment has to be protected and conserved in the course of carrying out development activities so that it can continue to sustain the current generation and those to come. The creation of man-made assets through development activities always involves a trade-off with environmental assets. Therefore, there is a need to identify, protect and manage environmental assets such as forests, rivers, coastal and highland ecosystems in the Northern Corridor so that they are not lost through uncontrolled development activities.
The major issues facing environmental protection in the Region include:
(i) Environmental assets insufficient to support consumption patterns. Malaysia in general, including the Northern Corridor, cannot sustain high demand on natural resources as these are limited and the country has a small total area of arable land and productive water areas.
(ii) The lack of environmental awareness and ignorance of the environmental costs of development activities amongst individuals and corporations.
(iii) Although there are adequate regulations, there is a lack of enforcement of existing regulations governing areas such as:
a) River Water Quality
The overall water quality status of river basins and rivers in the Northern Corridor is poor:
• Three out of the 9 polluted river basins reported in 2004 in Malaysia were located in the NCER, namely Sg Juru, Sg Jejawi and Sg Pinang/Sg Kluang in Pulau Pinang.
• 21% of the rivers in the NCER were assessed as being polluted and 43% were assessed as being slightly polluted.
Summary of the river water quality status in the NCER. Of the 95 rivers in the NCER monitored by the Department of Environment in the year 2004, there were 20 polluted, 41 slightly polluted, and 34 clean rivers. Eleven of the 20 polluted rivers were located in Pulau Pinang.
b) Marine Water Quality
The overall marine water quality within the Northern Corridor is also polluted as a large percentage marine water samples from the Region exceed the Interim Marine Exceed Interim Marine Quality Standards for 6 out of the 9 parameters measured. Total suspended solids quality is extremely poor compared to the national average. E.Coli bacteria contamination of the marine waters in Perlis and Pulau Pinang are also at very poor
levels.
In order to ensure the protection and conservation of the natural environment in the course of development activities, the following programmes will be carried out:-
• Protecting environmental assets
• Protecting water resources
• Managing development impacts on the environment
• Promoting education on environmental conservation and sustainability
Protecting Environmental Assets
Environmental assets in the Northern Corridor need to be protected and conserved due to their rich biodiversity and importance as part of our natural heritage. Existing environmental strategies and policies should be strengthened to ensure the community’s long-term enjoyment and sustainability.
The National Physical Plan 2005 (NPP) has ranked Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) into three classes, according to specific ranking criteria. Developments within these ESA classes are required to comply with specific development guidelines.
Specific items to be implemented under this programme include:
(i) Protecting Environmentally Sensitive Areas
ESAs identified in the NPP will be protected by undertaking the following:
• Gazetting ESA Rank 1 areas as PA
o The relevant State authorities will gazette the following ESA Rank 1 areas identified in the NPP as PA:
a) Parts of Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve in Perak
b) Ulu Muda Forest Reserve in Kedah
c) Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary
d) All forests in the NCER above 1,000m elevation, except for Special
Management Areas
o State and local planning authorities shall respectively incorporate into State Structure and Local Plans the exact locations of the above PA, so that they are legally protected.
(ii) Protecting and Managing Forests
The NCER implementation organisation, in which each of the 4 states are represented, will play an active role in protecting the environmental resources in the Region, including forest areas. For example, replanting of areas that have been logged shall be implemented, and wildlife conservation sites shall be established, to enable the forests to generate income from tourism.
The NCER implementation organisation, working with State governments, shall:
• Ensure that all gazetted Permanent Forest Estates (PFE) are not encroached upon:
o The management of all PFE shall be further enhanced through the use of modern technology such as satellite remote sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS), to ensure the lowest development impact in these areas.
o All proposed projects in the NCER that involve destroying state forests shall be evaluated from the perspective of sustainability and systemic effect as well as impact upon other areas, especially agricultural lands.
• Identify and manage isolated PFE within urban conurbations:
o State and local planning authorities shall systematically identify all isolated PFE within the NCER’s urban conurbations for integration and management as regional parks.
o All proposed projects within NCER’s urban conurbations that involve the removal of PFE or state forests, shall be evaluated, taking into account the option that they be integrated within urban areas as green lungs and parks for the recreational benefits of urban residents.
• Replace de-gazetted PFE:
o State authorities shall ensure all proposed development projects that require de-gazettement of PFE include the cost of equivalent forest replacement in the economic feasibility studies of the proposed projects.
o The Government will look into providing financial assistance to assist states that are required to conserve areas for environmental purposes beyond the needs of the states. This shall include the PA, as well as water catchment areas.
• Identify and establish linkage between forest complexes within the NCER:
o Where feasible, forest complexes shall be developed as a network of linear recreational areas so as to maintain ecological balance, natural habitats and the biodiversity of rivers and forest complexes.
(iii) Protecting Sensitive Coastal Ecosystems
• State authorities to gazette all identified important mangrove areas as Protected Forests and formulate an inter-agency mechanism for their management and protection.
• State planning authorities shall identify and designate all islands within marine parks in the NCER as ESA Rank 1, 2 or 3 with ESA Rank 3 as a minimum requirement.
o Coastal land reclamation for tourism and urban purposes will be discouraged.
(iv) Controlling Development in the Highlands
• State and local planning authorities to ensure that all urban and agriculture developments in the NCER highlands shall only be permitted in the Cameron Highlands-Kinta-Lojing Special Management Area (SMA).
• In addition, the following conditions must be met to apply for the SMA:
o New golf courses and industries shall not be permitted.
o Agriculture development shall only be permitted in areas with slopes of 25° or below.
o Synergies between agriculture and tourism shall be strengthened.
Protecting and Managing Water Resources within the NCER
The protection and management of water resources is vital for the sustainable development of the NCER. As water is sourced from water catchments, the preservation of such areas is crucial for ensuring sustainable supply. Recommended programmes for this strategy include:
• Protecting water resources
• Mitigating flood hazards
• Protecting water ecosystems
(i) Controlling Development in the Highlands
• Manage land use activities in surface water catchments and groundwater recharge areas
o State development authorities to ensure that all land use activities, new industrial development and activities that could be a source of water-borne pollution are not permitted in the water catchments and recharge areas. All upstream areas of surface water catchments shall be protected and no development shall be allowed.
o Existing activities within the water catchments shall be required to adopt appropriate measures to protect public health and the river water quality. Better enforcement of laws will ensure no direct discharge of waste water or sewerage into the river or its tributaries.
o The Department of Minerals and Geo-sciences in each state has to identify the potential groundwater recharge areas and coordinate the planning and management of such areas in order to conserve and protect them.
• Gazette water supply reservoir catchments as Protection Forests
o State authorities shall gazette the following water supply reservoir catchments as “Protection Forests” under the National Forestry Act 1984 (amended
1993) so as to ensure that incompatible land use does not encroach onto the catchments below:
a) Timah-Tasoh reservoir, Perlis
b) Ahning reservoir, Kedah
c) Pedu reservoir, Kedah
d) Muda reservoir, Kedah
e) Beris reservoir, Kedah
f) Air Hitam reservoir, Pulau Pinang
g) Telok Bahang reservoir, Pulau Pinang
h) Mengkuang reservoir, Pulau Pinang
o Logging activities shall be monitored and licenses shall be reviewed periodically (at least once a year) based on the internationally-accepted sustainable practice of forest harvesting regulations.
o The Food and Agricultural Organization’s “Criterion of Forest Harvesting Practice, 1995” for sustainability will be adopted.
• Monitor groundwater well developments and extractions
o The Department of Minerals and Geosciences in each state shall monitor groundwater well developments and extraction for commercial, industrial and agricultural activities so as to avoid over-extraction of groundwater resources which may cause land subsidence, seawater intrusion and pollution of groundwater resources along the coastal areas.
(ii) Mitigating Flood Hazards
• Development in flood-prone areas should be avoided by:
o Basing development proposals and planning decisions on risk factors to flood-prone areas, with the exception of agricultural activities.
o Limiting intrusion from urban development into wetlands and floodplains that also act as natural flood storage facilities.
• Development in flood-prone areas shall be designed for floods
o All development in flood-prone areas shall incorporate designs to mitigate
potential damage caused by floods. These can include elements such as a higher percentage of retention pond requirements, larger storm water
channels, greater building setbacks from river reserves, as well as innovative building designs to minimise damage from floods.
o Feasibility studies shall be undertaken to identify types of agricultural crops suitable for cultivation in flood-prone areas.
(iii) Protecting Water Ecosystems
• Ensure adequate low flows to maintain NCER river ecosystems
o Adequate low flows in rivers are necessary to maintain the health of river ecosystems so as to ensure living and vibrant rivers. Thus, all proposed projects that may result in a reduction of low flows in rivers shall incorporate measures to mitigate their impact on the river ecosystems.
• Maintain and protect NCER river corridors
o Proposed projects that are adjacent to rivers should ensure that the river corridors are protected and maintained as much as possible.
• Maintain water tables in NCER peat swamps and wetlands
o To ensure that water tables in peat swamps and wetland areas are maintained and protected should there be any developments within these areas, as well as to ensure sustenance of the wetlands, and prevent peat fires.
Managing Development Impact on the Environment
The rise in development has a direct impact on the environment. Managing the impact of development on the environment ensures a higher quality of living for the population.
This will be done through:
• Managing air quality
• Managing river and marine water quality
• Managing chemicals and hazardous substances
(i) Managing Air Quality
Although the overall air quality of the NCER was generally reported to range from good to moderate, it is still important to ensure that the air quality is maintained at, if not improved from, this level. It is recommended that air pollution be continuously monitored and regulated through various controls such as:
• Control of open burning
o To ensure that any open burning activities adhere to the regulations issued by the Department of Environment
• Control of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide emission from vehicles
o Improving the NCER’s public transportation system to reduce usage of private vehicles and the resulting emissions
o Promoting greater use of NGV in private and commercial motor vehicles by providing incentives for the conversion procedures from petrol to gas
• Control of particulate matter (PM10) and sulphur dioxide emissions from industries and power plants
o To provide fresh incentives for the use and adoption of new and cleaner technologies for industries and power plants – such as the use of bio-fuels – to reduce carbon and sulphur dioxide emissions.
o The Government and industry will partner with research institutions to generate and produce cleaner bio-fuels economically.
(ii) Managing River and Marine Water Quality
• Control of domestic waste water discharge into urban drainage systems
o Enforcement efforts will be stepped up to ensure that commercial premises and houses in urban areas do not discharge their domestic waste water into urban drainage systems which carry storm water runoffs to rivers.
o Polluting businesses, for example, motor workshops, will be relocated to special areas where facilities to treat the waste water from the polluting businesses can be installed.
• Control of earthworks runoff from land clearing activities
o Land clearing projects will be monitored to ensure that they follow the relevant guidelines on soil erosion controls so that silt-laden runoffs do not flow into the drainage and river systems.
• Control of effluent discharge into rivers
o Enforcement will be stepped up to ensure that manufacturing and industrial activities abide by the regulations on control of discharges.
(iii) Managing Chemicals and Hazardous Substances
• Control of pesticide use
o Awareness programmes will be conducted to educate farmers on the need to control the use of pesticides and to adopt safe methods of handling them. In addition, suitable micro-organism based bio-pesticides shall be encouraged.
• Reduce the use of chemical fertilisers
o Awareness programmes will be conducted to educate farmers on the need to control the use of chemical fertilisers and to adopt alternative, organic ways to improve the fertility of their land, including bio-fertilisers.
• Better farming practices through farm accreditation schemes
o Through the Skim Akreditasi Ladang Malaysia (SALM) and Skim Organik Malaysia (SOM), better farming practices have been introduced to the farmers. Thus, there is a need to encourage and support farmers to participate and get accredited by either or both of the above Accreditation Schemes.
Promote Education on Environment Conservation and Sustainability
An unsustainable environment would negatively impact economic growth. As such, there is a strong need to promote the adoption of resource-efficient and environmentally good practices. The communities within the NCER should be made aware of existing programmes and initiatives on resource efficiency and sustainability, through partnerships with NGOs and research institutions.
The following programmes are recommended to raise awareness of NCER communities involved in environmental conservation and sustainability:
• Increase the general awareness of the public on environmental issues through education and public awareness programmes
o Include environmental awareness topics within the school curriculum
o Conduct public awareness campaigns on the Region’s environmental assets and the need to protect and conserve them
o Highlight environmental champions from the private sector and the public and publicize their achievements
• Increase awareness amongst farmers on the importance of protecting the environment
o Conduct awareness courses for farmers on the consequences of improper use of pesticides and fertilisers
o Teach farmers sustainable farming practices to enable them to minimize or stop the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers
• Implement effective 3R programmes amongst the community and businesses
o Conduct awareness programmes to highlight the business potential of recycling and
effective management of waste
o Identify and create champions and mentors from the private sector to encourage and provide incentives for the implementation of 3R programmes amongst the local community
o Create the necessary business infrastructure to provide effective support for waste recycling business and enterprise in all NCER districts
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