The Malaysian Nature Society Nature Society (MNS) applauds the recent directive issued by the Director General of the Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia concerning the identification and gazettement of water catchment areas in each state. The Society is glad that the Forestry Department has taken the initiative in ensuring the protection of the country’s ever essential water catchments.
      In Malaysia, as in everywhere else throughout the world, water catchment protection is essential as they maintain our water supply.  Streams and rivers originate from highlands and they, with and without impounding reservoirs, contribute 98% of the total water use in Malaysia. The remainder is contributed by groundwater. Most of our downstream areas are converted into other land-uses and as a result, rivers are abused by indiscriminate dumping of industrial and non-industrial waste, making them unsuitable for water supply.
      The present problem of water supply in this country is not generally associated with inadequacy of water resources. In fact, the 150 over river systems in the peninsula contribute some 566 billion cubic meters of water throughout the year. Thus there is little need for the use of the larger 5000 billion cubic meter of groundwater. The main problem though lies in inadequacies in the water and land use management, water quality, water treatment and distribution facilities, as well as capacity building.  Gazettement of water catchments reserves is definitely a wise step in land use management and this in turn will ensure the quality and quantity of our water supply.
      Nevertheless, a holistic approach towards river basin management throughout the entire river basin is still needed. This is true as good quality water depends on the entire river basin, which includes both water catchments reserves and the downstream environment.
      Conservation of water catchment areas also go far more than just conserving water sources. By just conserving these areas for water, we also conserve a large part of our nations biological diversity.  As more lowlands are being developed for plantation agriculture, highways, and urban developments, more and more of our country's wildlife are forced towards the highlands for sanctuary.
      Water catchment reserves also increase the value of these highlands for recreational, eco-tourism purposes, as well as the potential benefits from bio-prospecting and patenting of plant-derived drugs.
      Other than making sure that forests above 1000m and 40 degrees are gazetted, the states should also take into consideration in maintaining larger blocks of forests. Larger forest blocks have greater capacity as water catchements especially in the longer run if compared to smaller patches of forest. In addition, larger blocks of forests make better corridors for animal migration.
      MNS also welcomes the move by the Forestry Department in cultivating local herbal plants to ensure their continual existence and supply. This step proves that the department is truly concerned in maintaining the country's biodiversity. The Society, however, hopes that the plantations would not in any way require new forest land to be opened up for cultivation. Instead, the department could plant these plants in degraded forest or logged over forests as a means of enrichment planting and forest rehabilitation.  This will not only reduce costs but will enable easier cultivation, as these areas are much easier to plant in rather then in newly cleared areas.
      One again the Society would like to thank the Forestry Department, especially its Director General Datuk Zulmukhshar Shaari, for their efforts towards sustainable forest management and maintaining the country's biodiversity.

Dato' Dr. Salleh Mohd Nor
Kuala Lumpur, 13 September, 2000