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Malaysia is one of twelve mega-diversity countries in the world in which rich species and ecosystem diversities are recognized. Despite this, there are large numbers of threatened species due to habitat destruction and removal associated with logging, land clearing and other activities. In this connection, the Malaysian Government has promulgated a comprehensive policy framework through the National Policy on Biodiversity in 1998 to ensure the perpetuity of the country’s biodiversity resources as well as enable the sustainable development of its economic values.
However, the institutional environment governing biodiversity management and conservation is also disjointed and fragmented. At least 7 departments and 3 ministries are involved in the matter at Federal level. The apex institution for biodiversity conservation and management is the Biodiversity and Biotechnology Council headed by the Prime Minister. The Biodiversity Committee set up under the Council looks into issues specific to biodiversity conservation and management. Notwithstanding that, however, there is an absence of a single agency that can champion the cause of biodiversity conservation and management. Different government agencies are involved, and each is governed by its own set of rules and regulations to cater to specific geographic area or species. Nine government agencies are directly or indirectly responsible for the protection of biodiversity species and/or their habitats in the whole of Malaysia. In addition, all 13 states have rights relating to biodiversity. However, only Sarawak and Sabah have asserted these rights by establishing specific institutions for biodiversity management and conservation.
In establishing HR requirements, the following skills were found necessary:
– Molecular biologists
– Taxonomists.
– Population biologists.
– Resource managers.
However, human resource planning for biodiversity management and conservation is highly variable. Among the dedicated agencies (Department of Wildlife and National Parks and Marine Park Division at Federal level and state parks at State level), HR requirements are specific to biodiversity management and conservation, though it is in relation to the overall function and goals of the agency concerned. There has been no comprehensive appraisal of the skills required. HR requirements in the Department of Fisheries and Department of Forestry are similarly slanted towards resource management, aquaculture (Department of Fisheries) or agro-forestry (Department of Forestry).
Earlier studies have indicated that Malaysia spends about 30% of what is spent per hectare on protected areas by developed countries. Considering that the country has a mega-diversity, this figure is far lower than what it ought to be. Human resource development can only be pursued in the light of an appropriate institutional environment. In this respect, it is recommended that:
- A separate National Biodiversity Council (NBC) chaired by the Prime Minister and consisting of all Mentris Besar and Chief Ministers should be established to decide on issues relating to biodiversity management and conservation.
- All reserve areas, whether forest, marine or parks should be redesignated as “Biodiversity Reserves”.
- A Federal agency should be designated as an umbrella organisation to champion biodiversity management and conservation.
- A National Biodiversity Act should be passed.
- The National Parks Act, 1980 should be amended.
- An environment education policy should be drawn up, ratified and introduced in the Malaysian education system.
- Introduce biodiversity management and conservation as modules in civil service training.
- Develop a guidebook on biodiversity careers.
- Training of career guidance Teachers.
- Develop an action plan for the implementation of the above.
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Gopinath Nagaraj obtained his B.Sc (Hons) in Aquatic Biology in University of Science Malaysia in 1977 and Master of Science in Aquaculture from University of Philippines in 1984. He worked in the Department of Fisheries in various capacities, the last being the State Director of Fisheries for Melaka/Negeri Sembilan. He left the Department and joined Syndel Asia Sdn. Bhd., a fisheries pharmaceutical company, as Managing Director in 1994. In 1997, he joined FanLi Marine and Consultancy, an aquatic ecology and applications outfit as lead consultant.
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