PETALING JAYA: Funding for nature conservation and community rangers has been raised under Budget 2027 to protect Malaysia’s biodiversity and natural habitats.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the Ecological Fiscal Transfer (EFT) fund had been increased to RM270mil to encourage community-based economic activities and ecotourism.
Another RM15mil collected through the palm oil industry will be channelled towards nature conservation, particularly protecting the habitats of endangered species such as the Malayan tiger, Bornean elephant and orangutan.
The government has also allocated RM65mil to engage about 2,500 community rangers from the Orang Asli, military veteran and retired police communities to protect the country’s biodiversity.
The allocation will also cover constructing and maintaining ranger posts for patrols.
Meanwhile, RM100mil has been set aside to develop retention ponds and carry out river maintenance to reduce flood risks.
The government will also introduce a programme to purchase old fishing nets to prevent abandoned nets from endangering marine life.
Public sewerage systems in severely dilapidated condition on Pulau Tuba, Pulau Langkawi, Pulau Redang and Pulau Tioman will also be urgently upgraded.
