Malaysia has assured that it would never sacrifice its natural environment, which is well-endowed with flora and fauna, in its eagerness to become a developed country.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Government had taken various measures to protect the national treasures, including introducing laws and policies on conservation of the environment and biodiversity.
“We have also required states in the country which have jurisdiction over land and flora and fauna to undertake housing and industrial development without harming the environment,” he told Malaysian journalists after launching Malaysia Day and visiting the Malaysian Pavilion at the Expo 2012 Yeosu on Monday.
Also present were his wife, Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas, Malaysian Ambassador to South Korea Datuk Ramlan Ibrahim and Expo 2012 Yeosu Committee chairman Kang Dong-suk.
“The demand for development is always there, the demand for land utilisation in plantation areas is always there, but there must be a balance between development and conservation of the environment.
“This is the responsibility of not only the ministries and the Government but also the states,” he said.
“In our eagerness to become a developed country, Malaysia will not sacrifice the environmental treasure we have,” he said.
He said the Government was committed to ensuring that at least 50 per cent of the country remained environmentally green as agreed upon at the Rio Earth Summit 1992.
Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister, said it was also important to educate the young to enable them realise the importance of protecting the environment.
“We know that there is lack of proper conservation of the environment in some places in Malaysia and this has to be attended to not only by the ministry and the Government but also society,” he said.
Commenting on the country’s participation in the three-month expo, which will end on Aug 12, he said it helped Malaysia to display its rich biodiversity and culture and the Government’s efforts to protect the environment.
