A school in Selangau, Sarawak, seen submerged nearly to the roof during severe floods.
IN the wake of Sarawak’s catastrophic floods, WWF-Malaysia warns that climate change and unchecked development are pushing the state to a tipping point.
“The surge in extreme weather isn’t random – it’s a collision of global heating and poor land planning,” said Lavanya Rama Iyer, the organisation’s policy and climate change director.
“When land is paved, rainwater can’t seep into the soil. Runoff overwhelms drains, heightening flash flood risks.”
Sarawak’s plight mirrors global trends.
A 2020 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia study found that land conversion and mismanagement have stripped forests and wetlands of their natural capacity to absorb rainfall.
Meanwhile, temperatures here have climbed by 0.13°C per decade since 1969, while sea levels creep up 2.9mm yearly – accelerating coastal inundation.
“Communities already feel the strain: longer deluges, fiercer floods and stagnant waters in lowlands,” said Cynthia Chin, head of WWF-Malaysia’s Sarawak Programme.
Rainfall has surged 17% since 1970, according to the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM), with monsoons growing erratic. “Climate change isn’t distant – it’s drowning livelihoods now,” she added.
While levees and drains remain critical, WWF argues that nature itself must become Sarawak’s frontline defence.
“Mangroves buffer coasts; upstream forests soak up rain. These solutions are cheaper, smarter, and boost biodiversity,” said Chin.
Restoring the Rajang River’s degraded tributaries, for instance, could curb sedimentation and slow runoff – a win for ecosystems and flood resilience.
The group points to Long Semadoh, a remote highland settlement where, since 2017, indigenous communities and hydrologists have stabilised the upper Trusan River’s banks using traditional knowledge and modern science.
Villagers in Puneng Trusan and Long Teligan worked with the University of Nottingham Malaysia to replant native vegetation and reinforce slopes with natural materials.
“Locals co-manage the project with authorities. It’s proof that blending wisdom works,” Chin noted.
The initiative has not only reduced erosion but also revived fish stocks, proving environmental and economic benefits can coexist.
Sarawak’s recent climate policies – including a 2023 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Ordinance and plans for a Climate Change Centre – draw cautious praise.
“Good foundations, but implementation is key,” said Lavanya, who urges weaving climate risk assessments into every development decision, from infrastructure to agriculture.
For example, the state’s Low Carbon Society Blueprint aims to cut emissions through reforestation and renewable energy, but critics argue enforcement remains lax.
Critical to this is integrated river basin management (IRBM), a strategy WWF is advising on for the Rajang River.
“Inclusive planning that values indigenous insight is non-negotiable,” stressed Chin. “Communities know their land best – their voices must lead adaptation efforts.”
Yet challenges persist. Many villages lack resources to implement large-scale projects, and bureaucratic delays often stall progress.
“We’ve seen plans sit on shelves for years while rivers silt up,” said Chin.
“The Rajang’s IRBM study, led by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, is a start.
“But without funding and political will, it’s just another report.”
A hurdle remains: sparse local climate data. Tools like the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) could sharpen flood predictions, but only with Sarawak-specific inputs.
“Without hyperlocal modelling, we’re planning blind,” Lavanya warned.
For instance, NAHRIM’s rainfall projections rely on broader regional trends, which fail to capture microclimatic shifts in Sarawak’s rugged interior.
WWF advocates for urgent investment in weather stations and community-led monitoring.
“Farmers in Kapit already track rainfall with makeshift gauges.
“Imagine pairing their observations with satellite data,” said Chin. “It’s about bridging high-tech and grassroots.”
For WWF, the path forward is clear: pair dredging and dams with nature’s ingenuity.
“The choice isn’t concrete or forests – it’s both,” said Chin. “Otherwise, Sarawak will keep sinking.”
But time is scarce. With the monsoon intensifying and urban sprawl accelerating, the window for action narrows.
“Every hectare of forest cleared is a step closer to disaster,” Lavanya cautioned. “We need policies that treat rivers as lifelines, not drains.”
