.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Campaign of FOUM I

Ulu Muda first made the national headlines seven years back when a proposal to log the forest was first tabled by the State government of Kedah using the helicopter logging method. Contrary to popular belief this method of logging does not produce a minimal impact to the environment, as an extensive network of logging roads still need to be constructed and heli-logging can be used as an excuse to carry out logging in areas which would not have been allowed using conventional logging methods.

It was a noble cause then that brought together a coalition representing a diverse range of organisations including environmental NGOs such as the Malaysian Nature Society, the Malaysian chapter of the Friends of the Earth and WWF-Malaysia. Local community groups, recreational anglers and professional bodies such as the Malaysian chapter of the International Erosion Control Association were also represented in the coalition known as the Friends of Ulu Muda (FoUM).

Meetings were held and an internet discussion group was set up for information sharing among FoUM members. FoUM members collectively and separately issued press statements highlighting their concerns over the logging proposal.

A petition campaign by the Friends of the Earth managed to gather 8,000 signatures from the padi farmers downstream of Ulu Muda forests within a short space of two-and-a-half months. The signatures and the accompanying memorandum were presented to a representative of the Menteri Besar of Kedah.

As a result of this, the Malaysian Federal Government acted decisively to prevent this large tract of important from being put under the chainsaw and the forests were save for a time.

POSITION STATEMENT

» Statement on WWF's website
» PDF statement [35kb]

FOUM II

Alas, Ulu Muda is now again threatened with the prospect of logging. This has given rise to Friends of Ulu Muda II, a coalition of 19 NGO's that have banded together to continue the good fight of protecting Ulu Muda.

.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Members of FOUM

• Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM)
  www.foe-malaysia.org.my
• Malaysian Nature Society (MNS)
  www.mns.org.my
• Malaysia Karst Society (MKS
  karstsoc@gmail.com)
• Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM Penang)
  www.suaram.net
• Environmental Protection Society of Malaysia (EPSM)
  epsm@tm.net.my
• WaterWatch
  Penang
  www.waterwatchpenang.org
• Partners of Community Organisations (PACOS Trust)
  www.sabah.net.my/PACOS
• Treat Every Environment Special (TrEES)
  www.trees.org.my
• Persatuan Pengguna
  Pulau Pinang (CAP)
  en.cap.org.my
• WWF-Malaysia
  www.wwf.org.my
• Muafakat Warga Desa Negeri Kedah (Rural Citizens)
• Kumpulan Bertindak
  Petani MADA
• Teras Pengupayaan Melayu (TERAS)
• Campus Environmental Network (CARE)
• Gabungan Angkatan Sahabat Alam Sekitar Nasional (GAGASAN)
• Environmental Management and Research Organization of Malaysia (Ensearch) www.ensearch.org
• Pergerakan Penyelidikan dan Pembangunan Komuniti (KOMUNITI)
• Jaringan Nelayan Pantai Semenanjung
  (JARING)
• Pertubuhan Prihatin Kesihatan & Sosial Malaysia (PRIHATIN MALAYSIA)