Best Joke from Penang Forestry Department

The gaharu tree that was chopped in Botanic Gardens. Pix taken on 14 Feb 2012

If you want to catch gaharu thieves then announce it to the world.
I think this is more for publicity than to truly solve the problem.
The teams may as well cart away the felled trees themselves.....
MALAYSIA TRULY BOLEH!



February 25, 2012
Dept forms two teams to hunt gaharu thieves
Star

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Forestry Department has formed two teams to investigate those responsible for felling gaharu (agarwood) trees in forest reserves.

Its director Abdul Wahab Deraman said his personnel would camp overnight at the hotspots to catch them under Ops Jejak Karas.

“We have also set up a 24-hour operation room on the island (04-8262716) and on the mainland (04-5932431) for the public to tip us off,” he told a press conference here.

He said the 20 trees that were felled at Gambier Hill near Island Park were actually of the Camphor and Garcinia species and were on private land.

He was referring to report in The Star on Thursday that the 20 trees felled at the location include those of gaharu (agarwood) species.

On Feb 12, Sunday Star reported that syndicates were believed to be felling the gaharu trees in the rainforest on the island.

Insane for another bird park in Malacca

Wednesday, 19 October 2011
By SM Mohd Idris,
Sahabat Alam Malaysia

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) is unequivocally opposed to the plan for the largest bird park in Southeast Asia sited at the Botanical Gardens in Ayer Keroh Malacca. It would be insanity on the part of the Malacca Chief Minister if he harbours such an ill-conceived plan when zoos and animal establishments in Malaysia are widely known and reported to be in appalling states.

State Governments, Councils and individuals may be rich in ambition to have the largest, biggest or grandest zoos and aviaries but do they know or care about the basic care and welfare of animal and their requirements? Judging from the past, the lack of ability to run zoos or bird parks may cause many of the birds to be reduced to a spectacle of abuse or neglect and many may die eventually.

The question everyone or every animal welfare group should ask is from where and how the birds are sourced. Sourcing for 6000 birds from 300 species to fill the largest aviary will fuel the trade in live birds that not only enriches the pockets of traders and poachers, it may cause more than half of those caught to die as a result of the birds being packed into crates and transported over long distances. There will be little concern for wastage of bird life as these profiteers in the bird trade can literally get away with murder.

The other question we ask is why undertake to house such a huge collection of birds knowing that space would be shockingly inadequate. If the Malacca State Government is serious about best practices for the aviary then the project would not have started with demand for 6000 birds due to the inadequacy of space. The Malacca Government fails to recognize that animals and birds have a basic need for the appropriate amount of space. No amount of behavioural enrichment can compensate for the spatial needs of the birds.

SAM fails to see the need for an aviary in the middle of a botanic garden. The botanic garden itself is good enough to be a major tourist attraction with its wide varieties of plant species considering the immense beauty and variety that the plant kingdom offers. The garden is also a place which attracts native birds. It could be an idyllic oasis for the free-roaming birds in the centre of the city.

Constructing an aviary within the gardens is a cruel attempt to bring nature to people where we can see birds in flight and chirping away when in reality the birds are living under captive conditions only to be displayed for man’s amusement. Life in captivity can never be adequate for the fulfillment of any species or individual, since the best habitat for animals is in their natural environment. All species are born free, and detention or isolation, whether of birds or humans, is an expression of cruelty and inhumanity.

This brings to mind the question of staffing and a host of other issues: 1) Whether staff are experienced and qualified to care for the different exotic birds that have special needs?

2) Any ability or expertise to manage and train inexperienced staff?

3) The level of veterinary care and hygiene standards?

4) Resources available to upgrade exhibits?

5) The ability to keep up with a variety of environmental enrichment? and

6) The expertise for managing such a large and diverse aviary?

From the above-stated reasons SAM calls on the Malacca Government to abandon its plan for the establishment of the largest bird park in Southeast Asia.

In view of the many zoos that were closed by the authorities due to the appalling conditions of confinement of the animals and the atrocious abuse and neglect of these animals, SAM once again reiterate its stand for closure of bad zoos and limit the number of zoos to a few good ones.

SAM would also urge the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment and the Department of Wildlife to completely stop the issuing of new licences for upcoming zoos and to continue monitoring all existing zoos in order to reform the wild animal industry.


S M Mohd Idris
President
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM)

Stop! Who is destroying the Penang Botanic Garden?

Fern House today in horrible state

The Working Group of the Penang Forum expresses alarm over the building of concrete structures and the destruction of the natural beauty at the Penang Botanic Garden.

Our Penang Botanic Garden, founded in 1884, is one of our most treasured possessions. Set up as a botanical institute and propagation centre, it also provided cool lush greenery and a quiet haven for the growing population of the city. It has always had a very special place in the hearts of Penangites.

But now we see colossal concrete structures and ad-hoc destruction of plant houses and plant collections taking place. Natural meandering streams have been canalised into drains. There is widespread loss of greenery, and ecologically insensitive structures such as arches with no relation to the surroundings mar vistas of the hills. Oversized glass and steel buildings such as an administration block have taken the place of rain-trees and shrubs.

At a time when ‘green’ and ‘sustainable’ are the buzzwords and in a site like the Botanical Gardens, the powers-that-be have engaged in an exercise of total non-sustainability. Seven concrete pools with insignificant fountains lie between the two arches. We all know that, all too soon, they will stop flowing and turn into mosquito breeding grounds. If the budget for maintaining the Garden is insufficient for qualified botanists and trained staff crucial for the proper maintenance of the plant collections, how will all these new outsized structures be up-kept?

The Federal Government is spending millions of taxpayers’ money on the Garden's development but with no masterplan or coherent concept of what the Garden should be. Without this master plan, the expansion of the Garden from from 72 to 592 acres in 2004 cannot meet the challenges in coming decades.

The present setting within a natural tropical dipterocarp rain forest is the envy of many botanic gardens in the world. Yet, the ill-conceived and thoughtless development we now see will mean we will never develop into a world class botanic garden. The authorities have not bothered to seek public consultation or feedback or tell us exactly what it is doing.

The State Government says they do not want to object in case the Federal Government withholds other funding for Penang. But surely not objecting to the projects does not mean that the state authorities cannot modify the proposals made by consultants. All attempts by NGOs and USM academics to put forward recommendations for the future well being of the Garden have been ignored. Where do the people of Penang come in; where do we count? Doesn’t anyone in power care that the future of the Garden is being severely compromised?

WE SAY STOP. Stop until a Penang Botanic Garden Master Plan has been commissioned, prepared and passed, to be the basis of all future developments of the Garden. It must be drawn up in consultation with all major stakeholders and users of the Garden, it must be professionally reviewed and publicly exhibited. The Garden cannot be at the mercy of passing fancies of ill-informed civil servants, politicians and VIPs who might visit and think there should be a ‘Balinese garden’ there and a ‘Japanese garden’ here or some horrendous arches at the entrance.

Over 2 million visitors enjoy the Garden annually and thousands of ordinary people walk and hike and enjoy the Garden daily. There is consternation and dismay and uncertainly at what is happening. What they see is ad-hoc, destructive, ecologically insensitive and is out of keeping with the natural beauty of our Gardens. Please stop before greater irreparable damage is done.

Dato’ Dr Leong Yueh Kwong
Loh-Lim Lin Lee
Tengku Dato’ Idaura
Kanda Kumar
James Lochhead
Ahmad Chik

On behalf of the Working Group of the Penang Forum, a coalition of Penang-based NGOs and concerned individuals

21 April 2010

Mismanaging of Heritage Botanic Gardens Penang

This morning, I attended this so-called Natural Heritage Programme at Penang Botanic Gardens also known as Waterfall Gardens or Monkey Gardens. Botanic Gardens is actually a collection of mini gardens within this big garden. In 1884, Charles Curtis, a horticulturist and a keen gardener developed this ex-quarry into a garden famous throughout the world. It was known to have collected many species for the Kew Gardens then. It was a hush hush programme as invitation was only sent out within 24 hrs. There were not enough chairs for nature lovers to sit. We were actually called just for the sake of showing to the public that such an event was done. I didn't see any reporter too. Panelists were green horns or most were ignorant. The architect can't even answer a simple question "what is the concept for the two arches?". The master plan (dated 1987!) includes a pond inside the present garden, a canopy walk at the waterfall (which is only open for visitors once a year), a monkeys feeding area (and thus causing more monkeys problem later) and more stupid development that of course make some cronies very rich. It was a very sad day for Botanic Gardens. The Federal Government with all our taxpayers' money just spent, spent, spent for her cronies......and our local State Government just couldn't careless, afraid of jeopardizing the funding from the Barisan Najis. This is real SHIT! Shit to all of us as Penangites. Shit to our heritage! Gone forever!

Ugly arches taking shape at the Botanic Gardens. Beside some other smaller trees, I know of two huge raintrees were chopped to make way for this unsustainable fountain. Unsustainable because a nearby stream from the quarry garden was diverted into the drain instead of using the water for this pond. Energy and water resources will cost taxpayer money. They just know how to build without understanding the function of a botanic garden. Perhaps changing Botanic Gardens into Botanic Recreational Park would suit this mismanagement.

If you use the new side walk between Bambusetum and Lower Circular Road in the Botanic Gardens, you would pass these clumps of Nibong palms. Unfortunately, they were being burnt. Perhaps they are going to axe them as burning away the torns will make chopping easier. Let see whether they are going to chop them soon. Botanic Gardens are important sanctuary for the preservation and conservation of plant species. And here at Penang's Botanic Gardens, idiots are destroying them instead. And these Nibong are at least 80 years old.

Many years ago, there were 11 gardens in Botanic Gardens. I know of Bougainvilla Garden which had been replaced with a gazebo. Today, Fern Rockery suffered the same fate. Look at the miserable ferns. So badly damaged. If Charles Curtis is alive today, he would have f**k these idiots that destroy this heritage garden. Is it for the scrap steel?

I was shocked to read that the Master Plan exhibited was dated 1987! More than 20 years ago this plan was rejected because of unnecessary development that does not comform with the concept and function of botanic gardens. How hopeless this people in managing our Botanic Gardens. Can't even produce an updated and proper Master Plan. And they are management our valuable heritage. Sad indeed.

Bamboo Gardens - Blame Barisan Najis Please!

I was astonished and felt annoyed to read that the Bamboo Garden (Bambusetum) at the Botanic Gardens was blamed on Pakatan Government. Read here. How come people are so stupid? Pointing finger without knowing who is right and who is wrong? People are still blind. Now, even after they are no more in the Penang State Government, their "kentut" are still around. People are blaming the smelly shit from LGE. Please look at the proof below:

You can see this signboard inside the Coronation Camp, now called Bamboo Garden (Picture taken on 19 Nov 08)

Closeup above: Ground breaking was on 26th July 2007 by Teng Chang Yeow.

Above: Picture taken on 19 Nov 08. A bridge over Sg Air Terjun.

Above: Picture taken on 19 Nov 08. Muddy ground.

Above: Picture taken on 19 Nov 08. Nice path.


Above: Picture taken on 19 Nov 08. And the open space.

My Question: Why nobody protest about this Bamboo Garden last year??????? Why only now? What is your motive?

Another money making project by TCY here
You can read more of the wastages by Barisan Najis if you search in this blog. There are so so many.