PEKA ke Bukit Fraser

Hello readers ..

It has been a few months since I joined Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam (PEKA) officially after supporting PEKA's movement for a few years. Supporting and joining are two different things.

After I joined PEKA, I  realised how busy PEKA are .. how important is their role in protecting our country's natural heritage and how they sacrificed their time, energy to protect our green from extinction .. not only for us but also for our future generation.

Many do not know how forest play a very important role in our life. We depends on forests for our survival .. from the water we consume daily, the air we breathe, to the medicine that cured the critical suffering patients and to the wood that we use. Forests also offer watershed protection, prevent soil erosion and mitigate climate change from time to time. Yes .. we do not know .. school does not teach our children on how we rely on forest for our life. Sadly, besides our dependence on forests, we still allow them to disappear.

Recently, the nation was shocked by news on the logging activity at Kampung Bukit Telaga, 15km away from the foothill of Fraser's Hill. 

Fraser's Hill, located at 1,310 meters above sea level, is located on the Titiwangsa Ridge, in the State of Pahang. Also known as 'Little England', Fraser's Hill has temperate temperatures ranging from 17 - 24 degrees Celsius and is a popular destination for nature lovers as welll as bird watching enthusiasts from inside and outside the country . Fraser's Hill also holds a history of more than 100 years of age, with Colonial English and Tudor architecture bungalows and building. 

Fraser's Hill is a hilly area located in the mountains of the Titiwangsa Range and categorized as an environmentally sensitive area. Fraser's Hill Area also has steep slopes and high topography and morphology. According to scientific studies, the soil in this area is a land that is easily eroded and can invite to greater catastrophes such as landslides, erosion and so on in the event of heavy rain over a long period. What's more, if the land surface here is vulnerable if the forest trees here are destroyed.

PEKA with its President, Puan Sri To' Puan Datuk Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil has taken an initiative to called for a Site Visit and Press Conference to stop the logging activity and deforestation at Frasers Hill. 

The site entrance were blocked by a big tree and our 4x4 cannot enter the site. However, our Madam President, decided to enter the site by walking to witness herself the destruction.

Her journey were then followed by others - reporters, villagers and other NGOs

The green has changed to an orange desert *sad*

At this point, only Fraser's Hill resides as a highland eco-tourism destination in Pahang which is still unsustainable and maintains its identity. PEKA Malaysia fears Fraser's Hill will experience the same fate as Cameron Highlands and Genting Highlands which have been polluted by the natural environment due to development and agricultural activities (vegetables) so often flood disasters, especially in Cameron Highlands. 

The booming logging activity is feared to provide wider space for forest clearing in the Tranum Forest Reserve and will destroy the existing fauna flora and clean rivers in the area. The survey also found no signs of logging approval activities in this area. It specifies whether the logging activity is licensed or vice versa.

Witnessing the destruction with reporters, villagers and other NGOs

Following the protest made by PEKA which was highlighted in most of the mainstream media in Malaysia, the logging activities was halted by Pahang Forestry Department and received an attention from our Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Bin Tuanku Jaafar. Thank you Datuk Seri. Syukur Alhamdulillah atas perhatian dan kasih sayang kepada Bukit Fraser yang Datuk Seri tunjukkan. PEKA loves Fraser's Hill and we believe many loves Fraser's Hill too. Mari kita sama-sama jaga dan pelihara Bukit Fraser yang menjadi kesayangan bukan sahaja rakyat Malaysia malah pelancong dunia yang sering berkunjung ke sini kerana keindahan semulajadi nya. 

We then, returned to Bukit Fraser. Stopped for a rest and we-fie with our Madam President.

Green warrior on duty ~ A friend of mine called our Madam President 'Angel on Earth' because of her tirelessly effort on protecting our mother nature. PEKA bukan lah pertubuhan bukan kerajaan yang menentang kerajaan tetapi kami sama-sama turut berganding bahu membantu kerajaan melindungi khazanah alam di bumi Malaysia tercinta ini. Sayangi Malaysia .. Cintai Malaysia ~ Malaysia sangat indah dan kaya dengan kecantikan alam semulajadi. Hutan di Malaysia adalah yang tertua di dunia, hutan kita lebih tua dari hutan Amazon. Hutan kita mempunyai khazanah berharga yang tidak ternilai harganya .. daun-daun dari pokok hutan kita dijadikan ubat buat merawat pesakit leukimia, hutan di Malaysia sangat cantik .. malah tahukah anda bahawa pokok terbesar di dunia juga terdapat di hutan di negara kita? Keindahan alam semulajadi di Malaysia tiada tandingan ~ pokok-pokok cantik dan unik, flora dan fauna termasuklah rafflesia, bunga terbesar di dunia yang hanya boleh hidup di Hutan Hujan yang mempunyai eko-sistem seperti hutan kita, serangga-serangga dan hidupan liar .. Hutan-hutan ini lah yang melindungi kita. Tanpa hutan kita tak boleh hidup ~ kita tak da air, kita tak ada udara bersih, tanah kita tiada sokongan. Pokok-pokok hutan ini adalah paku kepada bumi, kalau dicabut paku itu maka runtuhlah bumi .. 

Malaysia juga mempunyai sungai, gunung ganang, gua batu kapur, bukit bukau, cahaya matahari yang sentiasa tersenyum 365 hari setahun, cuaca kita cantik, ada hujan dan ada panas, tidak seperti negara-negara lain, waktu siang dan malam kita adalah seimbang ~ We are living in a heaven. Malaysia ada segala-galanya yang melengkapkan dan menyerikan hidup kita. Mari kita sama-sama SAYANGI MALAYSIA DAN CINTAI MALAYSIA DENGAN CARA MENJAGA KHAZANAH ALAM NYA.

PEKA went again to Bukit Fraser for a "Meet and Greet" session organised by a few residents of Fraser's Hill. Our arrival was welcomed by Dr. Zubaidah and the rest of her friends.

Puan Sri Shariffa Sabrina during her presentation

And I just realised on that day that some of the residents of Bukit Fraser are Ex-patriate who bought a property in this beautiful hill and spent their elderly times here. 

Puan Sri Sabrina contributed Tanah Aina Coffee Book to Fraser's Hill library to Dr. Zubaidah

A visit to Fraser's Hill tourism center and library

We then took pictures together, lunch together and headed home happily.

The visit was short, sweet and lovely. PEKA loves Fraser's Hill and would love to preserve and maintain its natural beauty. Fraser's Hill will always remain special in our heart. Semoga berjodoh kami lagi dengan Bukit Fraser selepas ini. In sha Allah. Amin.