{
  "id": 9048100,
  "title": "Invest in ecotourism as alternative to logging, 4 state govts told",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/invest-in-ecotourism-as-alternative-to-logging-4-state-govts-told-9048100",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-21T23:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/09/22/invest-in-ecotourism-as-alternative-to-logging-4-state-govts-told"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Environmentalists argue that preserving forests for ecotourism provides greater benefits than extracting resources through logging. According to Andrew Sebastian, president of the Ecotourism and Conservation Society Malaysia, the four states of Pahang, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, and Perak should invest long-term in ecotourism to protect the country's forests instead of seeking short-term profits from logging and mining. These states possess numerous nature-based tourism attractions and should develop business plans to utilize their natural assets.\n\nPreserving forests extends beyond tourism potential, as their loss could result in various environmental and economic consequences. Sebastian highlights that the loss of forests, particularly in Kelantan, could cause landslides, disrupt water supply, lead to flooding, elevate the risk of droughts, provoke human-wildlife conflicts, and jeopardize biodiversity. In February 2024, Pahang's unity, tourism, and culture committee chairman Leong Yu Man reported that Taman Negara attracted 135,435 visitors, the highest number ever recorded, up from 128,592 in 2023. Kamaruddin Ibrahim, the state's tourism general manager, revealed that Singaporeans constituted over 60% of Pahang's international tourists, demonstrating significant interest in the state's nature-based and ecotourism offerings.\n\nThe recent decision by Pahang to reject Sections 11 and 12 of the National Forestry (Amendment) Act 2022 echoes similar rejections from Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, and Perak. These provisions necessitate a public inquiry before land is removed from a permanent forest reserve and require the gazetting of an equal or larger area of replacement land. The four states constitute 69.3% of Peninsular Malaysia's designated permanent forest reserves. Perlis, Melaka, Selangor, and the Federal Territories have adopted the provisions. While affected communities can seek legal remedies, Sebastian warns that such action may only occur after damage has been caused.\n\nMeenakshi Raman, president of Sahabat Alam Malaysia, emphasizes that state legislators must carefully examine any proposal to degazette forest reserves. She asserts that state governments can unilaterally degazette forest reserves without prior public notification or comprehensive deliberation, which is a matter of decision-making lacking sufficient transparency. Raman recommends referring any attempt to degazette forest reserves to the National Land Council, which formulates national policies for the promotion, control, and uniform utilization of land throughout Peninsular Malaysia.\n\nPahang's Menteri Besar, Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, defends the state's approach, stating that the province has its own conditions and procedures for degazettement. However, Sebastian argues that state procedures do not provide the same level of safeguards as legislation, and Meenakshi counters that Pahang's explanation does not address the reasons for rejecting the two provisions. Ecological Association of Malaysia president Ahmad Ismail urges forest degazettement decisions to consider the functions performed by forests, such as flood mitigation, water supply, biodiversity, and wildlife habitats. He advocates for comprehensive studies involving relevant agencies in forestry, wildlife, agriculture, drainage and irrigation, fisheries, and water supply before any degazettement, weighing potential economic returns against the environmental, economic, and human consequences of losing forests.",
  "summary": "Conservationist Andrew Sebastian warns that loss of forest cover can raise the risk of floods, landslides, water disruption and droughts.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Invest in ecotourism as alternative to logging, 4 state govts told",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/invest-in-ecotourism-as-alternative-to-logging-4-state-govts-told",
        "published": "2026-09-21T23:30:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}