Page 29 - GS58346 Tasik Chini

Revert back to UN Biosphere treaty
Tasik Chini is facing the risk of losing its biosphere reserve status accorded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organisation (Unesco) if land clearing and mining are allowed to continue extensively.

The Biosphere Reserve (BSR) status accorded to Tasik Chini in 2009, underlines its rich biodiversity, including ‘species
characteristic of the extreme lowlands of considerable conservation interest due to their diminishing low land habitats elsewhere

within Peninsular Malaysia’ (UNESCO, 2015)
Tasik Chini’s special status as a UNESCO Man and Biosphere (MAB) calls for a balance between the pursuit of economic
development and environmental conservation

The Biosphere program divides Tasik Chini into three zones which is
✓ZONE 1 - Conservation of landscapes

✓ZONE 2 - Research, monitoring, training and education
✓ZONE 3 - Economic and human development

Land reserve gazettement

• The Land Conservation Act 1960 is irrelevant as it protects only gazetted areas, and Tasik Chini is
not gazetted under the Act. There are only two hill areas gazetted under the LCA, Cameron
Highlands and Penang Hill. (Zakariah, 2020).

• Tasik Chini have only been gazettement National Forestry Act 1984.

• So, it is suggested that Tasik Chini should be gazette under Land Conservation Act 1960 therefore
Tasik Chini can be protected.

Tasik Chini, Research Center, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPTC UKM) action

• At present, UKM research is mainly scientific and focuses on water quality, as is evident from the
large number of publications attributed to the research centre.

• It is suggested that the role of the centre be expanded to include coordination of the departments.
This could be done through pilot research on the lake’s environmental management through
horizontal management.

• PPTC UKM can do a pilot study to implement the ‘Landscape Approach’ should be conducted at
Tasik Chini. This involves balancing competing land use demands in a way that is best for human
well-being and the environment.