From: Cool Earth
Legislation must be considered to ensure that the Belum-Temengor tropical rainforest in Malaysia is protected, it has been urged.
According to the Raja Muda of Perak, Dr Nazrin Shah, special legislation should be put in place to make sure that the area remains protected, but at the same time, is allowed to be developed as a place for tourists, reported Bernama.The Belum-Temengor rainforest is more than 130 million years old - which makes it older than the world-famous Amazon rainforest - and covers an area of 300,000 hectares on the border of peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand.
"I cannot over-emphasise the importance of well-planned policies and well-crafted legislation in safeguarding the integrity of the Belum-Temengor tropical rainforest," said Dr Shah, who is crown prince of Perak and the eldest son of the Sultan of Perak.
He went on to point out that the area is the biggest remaining part of unprotected rainforest in peninsular Malaysia and due to the region being out of national protection he warned it is "defenceless against obliteration".