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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 WMP IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

The Wildlife Management Plan (hereinafter referred to as the WMP) is defined as the detailed
processes and procedures of proposed mitigation measures designed to mitigate (control or
reduce) the predicted impacts of development projects (e.g. highways, mining, housing and dams)
on wildlife protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 [Act 716] and their habitats
(including salt licks and other specific wildlife species requirements) in a more organised, efficient,
and comprehensive manner for the purpose of conservation and optimal protection of fauna and
their habitats. The WMP is a living document and adaptive where amendments and adjustments
can be made while it is implemented throughout the project. The proposed mitigation measures
can be revised according to current needs to improve wildlife and habitat management.

PERHILITAN has adopted the WMP since 2015 as a compulsory document prepared by a
proponent after approval of an EIA report. Since the WMP is part of EMP, the WMP document
needs to be prepared and approved along with the EMP before a project can begin. The
management and approval of the WMP document and monitoring of its implementation shall be
conducted by PERHILITAN.

The WMP is a continuous process of EIA adopted by PERHILITAN to ensure the protection
of wildlife in Malaysia. Since the wildlife study process for an EIA project has been decoupled from
the DOE, the consultant/ subject specialist have to do the study process of WIS and preparation
and submission of WMP reports, on the other end approval of reports fall under the jurisdiction of
PERHILITAN. With this delegation of power from DOE soon, PERHILITAN will finally has the power
to enforce compliance with WMP under Act 127.

1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (EMP) VS WMP

The Environmental Management Plan (EMP) described in the Guidance Document for Preparation
and Submission of Environmental Management Plan (EMP) (DOE, 2010) is as follows;

…. “EMP translates the EIA approval conditions into action. The EMP is neither a report of another
study nor a document which is descriptive in character. As a contrast, the EMP document states in
explicit terms what actions will be taken, what measures will be instituted, what structures will be
built, what will be installed, when the actions will be executed; etc. in order for the project activities
to be compliant with the EIA approval conditions. The EMP is a concrete plan of action which is
explicit, illustrative, action-oriented, time-bound and definitive. Even though the EMP exhibits all of
the above characteristics, the EMP is by nature, a living document which needs to be revised and
updated when there exist certain circumstances which demand changes to be made. These factors
may include changes to project details and surrounding areas and inadequacy of the control
measures to comply with regulatory standards”.

WMP is prepared and presented as part of the EMP report. In some instances, it was
separated (based on requests during EIATRC meetings and the nature of the project). WMP is
catered only for wildlife (and their habitats), with review and approval of the report done by
PERHILITAN. However, the overall approval of EMP still falls under the jurisdiction of DOE (Figure
1.1). Because of similarities in the process for both EMP and WMP, several important steps need to
be considered while preparing WMP/EMP report, as follows (see Figure 1.2);

(i) the project proponent (ii) for each approval (iii) to compute (iv) the project proponent needs to
and the consultant condition, whether an estimated cost be briefed thoroughly on the
tasked to prepare the administrative or to be incurred for executable actions to be undertaken
EMP should study and physical, identify each of the and the cost implication. The
understand each EIA actions required to be executable proponent also needs to declare that
approval condition; executed in order to actions, and all the actions stipulated in the WMP
comply with them; will be implemented.

GUIDANCE DOCUMENT FOR PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF WILDLIFE
MANAGEMENT PLAN (WMP) IN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) 03