Source : The Star, Malaysia, 19 Dec '04
By : The Star
  

Many were optimistic that the move would protect the water resources and biological diversity of the highlands.

Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) law and enforcement division director Misliah Mohamed Basir said it would ensure better protection of the area and, at the same time, bring in much needed resources to the state.

“If declared a national park, there can be more resources pumped in to have a full-time staff manage the park.

“Enforcement can be beefed up and the area can be better managed and protected,” she said.

Cameron Highlands MP S.K. Devamany had proposed that the gazette include all forests and water catchment areas in the highlands.

He said the forests should be appreciated as a national heritage in addition to being allowed to function as a water catchment area.

Misliah said the area could come under the National Parks Act of 1980, as was the case for Taman Negara and the Pantai Aceh National Park in Penang.

Cameron Highlands was gazetted on Nov 20, 1958 as a wildlife reserve under the Wild Animals and Birds Protection Ordinance but was de-gazetted on Feb 15, 1962.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia president S.M. Mohamed Idris said gazetting the highlands would go a long way in protecting the water resources of Cameron Highlands and Pahang.

“Cameron Highlands has been subjected to much development in the past and this has an impact on the micro-climate, soil erosion and sedimentation in rivers, which have also affected the reservoirs there,” he said.

Malaysian Nature Society executive director Dr Loh Chi Leong welcomed the proposal, saying it was a long-awaited step towards protecting the highlands.

He said steps taken to continuously protect the highlands were urgently needed and vital to the country’s water supply.