Courage needed in solving water problems

WE have a looming water crisis and it has been stated that the only way to combat this is to preserve our forests, protect the catchment areas and make sure there is no more wastage through non-revenue water loss.

In the article “Reserve may turn into plantation” (The Star, Aug 3), it was reported that an area 5,000ha wide in the Jerangau forest reserve in Terengganu may be turned into a plantation forest pending approval from the Department of Environment. According to conservationists, this forest reserve has trees like the rare Keruing Sarawak growing naturally there and they fear that development would affect the nearby rivers and threaten the habitat of endangered species.