Ukm Students Report1

8/14/2019 Ukm Students Report1

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REPORT PROGRAM JEJAK CAMERON HIGHLANDS BERSAMA REGIONAL

ENVIRONMENTAL AWRENESS CAMERON HIGHLANDS (REACH).

1.0 Objectives

The objective of our group being in Cameron Highlands for two days is to identify the

real scenario behind the beautiful view in Cameron Highlands. Second is to identify the

pollution occur in Cameron Highlands due to the impact of socio economic. Thirdly is to

gain knowledge about the function and contribution of non government organization

(NGO) in preserve and conserve our environment especially Regional Environment

Awareness Cameron Highlands (REACH). Our last objective is to gain experience as a

volunteer by participating in REACH’s activities.

2.0 Introduction

The Highlands were named after William Cameron, a British colonial government

surveyor who discovered the plateau during a mapping expedition in 1885. The fame of

Cameron Highlands then grew during the colonial era when British planters realized the

potential of its fertile mountain slopes for growing tea, then a prized commodity.

Cameron Highlands is a highland region located about 121 km east of Ipoh and about

214 km north of Kuala Lumpur, in Pahang, Malaysia. At 5,000 ft (1,500 m) above sea

level it is the highest area on the mainland, enjoys a cool climate, with temperatures no

higher than 25 °C and rarely falls below 12°C year-round.

Cameron Highlands is actually a district in the state of Pahang Darul Makmur

although the road entrance is via Tapah and Simpang Pulai in the state of Perak Darul

Ridzuan. Cameron Highlands district is bordered by Lipis district on the south-east,

Kelantan on the north and Perak on the west. Apart from the cool weather, key attractions

in Cameron Highlands include a butterfly farm, strawberry farms, rose gardens and

vegetable gardens. There are also the Brinchang Hindu Temples and the Sam Poh

Chinese Mahayana Buddhist Temple. Other features include Cactus Point, Cactus Valley

and the BOH Tea Plantation. There is Market Square, the Cameron Highlands Time



Tunnel Galeria (at nearby Kea Farm) and accommodation at the Kampung Taman Sedia

Homestay, Tanah Rata and The Smokehouse Hotel.

Moreover, Cameron Highlands has 3 subdistricts. There are Ringlet (5,165 Ha),

Ulu Telom (63,981 Ha) and Tanah Rata as the capital (2,081 Ha). There are eight towns

in the Cameron Highlands, Brinchang, Tringkap, Ringlet, Tanah Rata, Bertam Valley,

Kuala Terla, Kampung Raja, Blue Valley. Cameron Highlands is very famous according

to their precious flora and fauna. There are Rafflesia, pitcher plant and exotic wild orchid.

Large amount of Dinosour Fern can be found in Cameron Highlands. Dinosaur Fern can

be found 200 feet and above from the sea level and cannot be found if it is 200 feet

below. Moreover, there is mossy forest also called cloud forest which is very cool and

moist area. Cameron Highlands are also well known as a part of Banjaran Titiwangsa.

According to the statistics, there are 121 rivers in Cameron Highlands but

nowadays only 10 out of 121 rivers are classify as class I and II river which are qualified

for usage as drinking water. Sedimentation rate at the Ringlet dam had 9 fold increases

over a period of 25 years. Average rainfall in Telom area was drop to 2.4mm from 1960

to 1999. Cameron Hihglands consist of 30,000 people with 71,000 Ha.

2.1 Activity description

We have done a river investigation and start our journey at 9.55am which is lead by Mr.

Ramakrishnan Ramasamy as president of REACH and others member like Dr. Lau, Mr.

Obata (an aeronautic engineer from Japan). The journey assumed will take around five

hours drive which is include Terla dam, Kg. Rata Intake, blue valley, Hutan Simpanan

Kekal, landfill and recycle area and we have set for 5 station of sampling (Figrue 1).

Equipment testing being use during river investigation are pH meter, conductivity meter

and biological indicator.

Water quality is seen as the best indicator to benchmark the quality of an

environment, as its deterioration can be a direct result of unsustainable development.

About 80 per cent of available water resources in Cameron Highlands are being diverted



for agriculture sector whereas estimated 80 per cent of the farms in Cameron Highlands

are established on slopes higher than the 25-degree gradient permitted. To overcome this

shortage, a reservoir was planned at Sungai Terla. At the start of the project there were

only six farms above the proposed reservoir and by the time the project took off and

completed, the number of farms had grown to more than 60 from only six farms in the

early days. Behind the beauty scene of agriculture and forestry, a lot of problems are

hiding that impact all community in Cameron not only to the residents but also the

visitor. Our program today is to look overview the problem that might harm environment

especially the water source that used in daily life. Our program is not to blaming those

people but we are trying to raise awareness of each others on how important to protect

that environment in save and protected for our own good and next generation.

All the pollutants made those people expose to potential health risk problem.

What are sad and shock, lack of awareness on importance to protect the water source is

very inadequate among the Cameron community specially those whose related with the

agriculture and the authority. The river is near the toilet and the sewage are directly

dispose to the river without any filtered. Besides, there are farm plantation near the river

and all the waste such as bushes, garbage, pesticide bottles, fertilizer plastics and others

are directly dispose to the river. The river has bad smell and the color of water is quite

cloudy.

Figure 1 Sampling Point along the river

Station 2

Station 4

Station 5

Station 1

Station 3



3.0 Observation & results

3.1 1 st Station

Sungai Terla is located in Kampung Kuala Terla which is one of the active

agricultures site in Cameron. Most of the agriculture land here is belong to local people in

Cameron but operated by foreign workers from Bangladesh. Most of the foreign workers

is lack in hygienic system and it is a big challenge to educate them because of the

language barrier.

Along the Sungai Terla we found that a lot of pollution happens contributed by

agriculture site. They not only dump all the organic matter but also all the pesticidebottles along with discharge from toilet and farm (Picture 1 & 2). From information of

Mr Rama, t he farmers have ignored advice from Reach’s staff which tell them tor put all

plant residue to one place and then Reach’s staff will be collected them instead of simply

dumping at roadside.

Picture 1: Compose, plastic and pesticide was dump into the river

Picture 2: Plants were dump into the river



Our first stop is near by a workers house and farm which is just beside the River

Terla. As shown by pictures below which took along river side of Sungai Terla, sewage

pipes from houses a directly discharge into the river. Sungai Terla is a water source for

Terla dam which is will distributed to Cameron community. If this situation is being let

for continuing happen it will involve a lot of work and money to sustain the environment.

Mr. Ramakrisnan told us that Sungai Terla is a water reservoir to overcome the shortage

water problem. In the beginning of the project there is only 6 farms but these days it up to

66 farms. All the farms release multiple pollutants not only from the agriculture site but

sewage from houses. A huge awareness is needed on all those problems not only by the

NGO’s but the local authority and the community should be step a head. The authorities

have to play they role to enforce and control opening new farm specially farm that

located in the upstream the reservoir.

Picture 3: Direct discharge from toilet into the river.

From out testing, conductivity of river is 48.0 and pH is 8.0. The water organism

catch activity also carried out and dismally there is no indicator organism found in the

river. Therefore, it can be concluded that water at this sampling point is classified as class

III, which is extensive water treatment a needed.

Picture 4: Water organism catch.



3.2 2nd and 3 rd Station

In agricultural farms, chicken dropping and pesticides that used will go to

underground water which can contaminate our ground water source. Picture 5 showed

what actually happen in Terla agricultural farm. Chicken dropping has been used as

fertilizer and result from that is it is found that E.coli present in treated water. E.coli was

only found in human or animal feces. Picture 6 showed a discharge dripping system farm

use a lot of chemical to treat all the plant and this is the 3 rd sampling station also. This

system will contaminate the river if there is no proper management control. We also

found empty bottle and plastic packaging of pesticide in this drainage. W e found that the

kind of pesticide residues used from the class 1 to class 3. The pesticides are used to kill

the fungi, plague’s disease, pest, insects, bugs to avoid the plant damage and illnesses.Besides, we found that a lot of illegal pipes installed alongside the river. From here, the

question arise is all the situation reported by the Reach bring to nothing of enforcement

from authorities such as department of environment quality, department of forestry,

department of drainage, town council and any agencies involved. Though the Cameron

Town council has made a policy to achieve Agenda 21 about the environment.

Picture 5: Chicken dropping used as a fertilizer in a farm situated beside a river

Picture 6: discharge from the farm into the river

Ukm Students Report1

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