PETALING JAYA: Putrajaya’s move to increase the allocation for ecological fiscal transfer (EFT) from RM70 million to RM150 million for states to preserve their forests is a welcomed move, but environmental groups say more is needed to make an impact.
Adam Farhan of Rimba Disclosure Project (RDP) said while the RM150 million allocation under Budget 2023 was good, Pakatan Harapan had promised in its GE15 manifesto that it would increase EFT financing to at least RM1 billion.
“They have a long way to go before fulfilling that pledge,” Adam told FMT.
He doubted that forest areas can be preserved with such a small allocation, given how lucrative the timber and plantation industries were.
Meenakshi Raman of Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) agreed that the allocation was insufficient as there were many states that needed to protect their forests.
She said a bigger budget would allow for better biodiversity conservation, and also increase carbon sinks, help in mitigating and controlling floods, as well as securing water resources sustainably as water catchment forests will be protected.
In the 2023 budget that was unveiled last Friday, Prime Minister cum finance minister Anwar Ibrahim announced the increase in EFT, together with a RM38 million allocation to protect endangered wildlife like tigers and elephants, and a RM50 million allocation to increase the number of wildlife rangers to 1,500, including hiring Orang Asli and veterans.
On the RM38 million allocation to protect endangered wildlife, Meenakshi said she hoped it would be properly utilised to prevent and reduce wildlife poaching and smuggling.
She also welcomed the move to hire Orang Asli as forest rangers as they were the custodians of the forest and should play a critical role in protecting its biodiversity.
Adam stressed that funding for endangered wildlife species must go hand in hand with the government’s refusal to finance projects that would exacerbate threats against them.
“The Hulu Tembeling-Pasir Raja project will see a highway built through known tiger and elephant habitats, thus opening access to poachers, expose these animals to roadkill, and promote deforestation around the fringes of the road which would result in further loss of their habitats.
“This project alone could offset any benefits the RM38 million would bring,” he said.
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