Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Re: To all you weenies....
From: chuah@elec.canterbury.ac.nz (DanC)
Date: 11 Apr 92 17:31:20 +1200
Organization: Electronic and Electrical Engineering Department, University of Canterbury, New Zealand.

In article <1992Apr10.190320.15469@athena.mit.edu> zam@athena.mit.edu (Nor Aazizam Mohd Aasif) writes:

>>b) It is like a spongue, soaking up the moisture, causing us to
>>   have tropical climate.  Without the rain forest, we would turn
>>   firstly in to grassland, the desert.
>
>	We will always have tropical climate with or without our
>rain-forest.  

It has been proven that the tropical rain forest is a climate stabiliser.
In fact, and forest for that matter is a climate stabiliser.  If we
lose out trees, the land dries up.  Go read up before you post.

>Singapore has been without any significant rain forest
>for a long time, you don't see it changing into a desert.

That is because Singapore has Malaysia to thank.  We still have 
our rain forest ... but for how long I don't know.

>>c) The roots of the trees provide a good support against soil erosion
>
>	That's what replanting supposed to do...

If the loggers have been replanting, I would not be complaining here.
The fact is most of them do not (and are not required by the law) to
replant whatever that has been cut down.  Furthermore, research has 
shown that a replanted forest can never grow as good as the primary
forest.  The young seedlings need the protection of the larger 
trees during their young years.  The researchg also shows that 
young seedlings are more likely to grow along fallen tree stumps
as they "feed" off the stumps.  When the loggers have wipped out 
the trees, the young seedlings can no longer grow.  So much for
replanting.

>>d) It contasins *A LOT* of species which may be of use to mankind
>	
>	I don't see any reason for saving the animal species if it
>means restricting the country of its possible income...

As I have said, income for whom.  For the rich fat loggers?  For the
govt?  What about the poor people who lose thsir home (the Penans).
How much do they get?  Zilch.

>>e) It is a source of food.
>
>	The country is not on the brink of starvation.  We have enough
>agribusiness to handle the 18m population in Malaysia.

Tell that to the Penans.  Already, the rivers in which they fish
are so poluted, one would be extremely lucky to find a fry there.
This has robbed them of a rich source of protein.  Go to the sea you said?
That would be nice if the sea came 50 miles in shore.  It would also be
nice if the fish supply in the sea is limitless.  FYI, Malaysia
still imports food.

>	The money could be used for further development in our
>country, and as a developing country, we can use every bit of money
>that we can acquire.  

Yeah, chop down the forest to send you to a $$$ school, while 
a whole race of people suffer because their jungle home has been taken
away.  I am sure your conscience is clear.

>>The govt. is the people's representative.  It we, the people, think
>>that the govt. should stop logging, it should.  The only right
>>thing for a govt. to do is to listen to its people.  This, however,
>>is lacking in the Malaysian govt.
>
>	There have not been any referendums taken on this issue; so I
>guess the practise should go on until such a time that the majority
>wishes to stop it...

I am one of the majority who says loging ought to be stopped.

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