The never-ending rape of the Cameron highlands
There is none so blind, as he who will not see. The hills of the Camerons are dying. Nature is crying out in anguish. And still, there are those who cannot, and will not, see the problem staring them in the face.
The Cameron Highlands is one of the most prominent hill resorts in Malaysia. It is famed for its quaint colonial bungalows and resthouses, tea plantations, vegetable farms and, of course, its cool, inviting weather.
Today, that romantic image of old is no more, though there is still hope that some of the charm remains.
Like other hill stations that were primarily developed for rest and recreation, it was inevitable that the getaway crowd soon developed into the tourist crowd. Buildings have sprung up to cater to the demand. Poor planning resulted in ugly high-rise structures dotting the pristine landscape.
So popular has the Cameron Highlands become that traffic jams during weekends and extended holidays are just as bad as what we see in the Klang Valley. And the temperatures are rising.
Then there is the agriculture boom. As large stretches of land opened to feed the demand, both locally and for export, greed was never far behind. Whether the land was legally or illegally cleared, the extensive development brought in its wake naked slopes, landslides and poisoned waterways. The hills are being raped. And they are crying.
Our exposes about the Cameron Highlands have once again jolted the public into a sense of horror and anguish. Whether one is a regular visitor to the Camerons, or simply an observer from afar, the images and reports seem so deja vu. Have we not read similar reports, or seen such haunting images, many times before?
So, beyond the horror and the anger, we are trapped by a sense of helplessness and despair. The authorities, especially those on the ground, continue to hide behind the same lame excuses. It seems they can only see the culprits at work when such crimes are highlighted by NGOs and the media.
Repeatedly, even those who are eventually caught and charged in court, get away because the damage done cannot be restored. There is no point closing the barn door after the horses have bolted. But we need to address such acts of impunity.
Clearing of land in earlier days was done by hand using extensive manual labour. Today, they bring in heavy machinery, and it does not make sense that the movement of such vehicles cannot be monitored. Access to the Camerons is easy. Even if an official sits in his office, some distance away in the lowlands, he can be quickly alerted to any hint of impropriety and take prompt action. The question we have to ask is: Where is the will to curb such blatant criminal actions?
Today, anyone can look to the Camerons and see swathes of red earth as the land is stripped of its pristine greenery. The gift that Nature has bestowed upon us has disappeared before our very eyes. And what do the authorities see?
The Cameron Highlands is teetering on the edge. It is breaking down. It needs to be nursed back with tender loving care. And the healing can only begin if such wanton destruction stops.
