Group draws up plan to save Chini

PETALING JAYA: An environmental non-governmental organisation has drawn up an emergency campaign to save the heavily polluted Tasik Chini that includes participation from the orang asli communities living there. 

Sustainable Development Network Malaysia (Susden) president Bishan Singh said the campaign would involve the investigation of methods to conserve and regenerate the lake that allows the orang asli to take a lead in the projects.  

“The community-centred approach is the key to sustainability. The focus of this short-term campaign will help in protecting and conserving the lake and allow local communities to continue making a living in the area,” he said in a statement on Wednesday. 

Bishan Singh said Susden had launched its Save the Tasik Chini Campaign at its emergency council meeting on Tuesday. 

He said monitoring units would be set up with the assistance of communities living around the lake, and some basic indicators would be used to continuously monitor the state of the lake's “health”.  

There would also be continuous feedback and lobbying activities directed at the Government and private agencies, he said. 

“Other than that, there will be awareness and educational efforts involving specific groups,” he said. 

He was responding to The Star’s report on Monday which quoted Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia researchers as claiming that the lake was contaminated with high levels of E. coli bacteria. 

Bishan Singh said the Tasik Chini ecosystem was important to the replenishing and support of the ground water resource system.