Leave our hills alone

LURE of the hills (Culture Cul De Sac, Vestibule, StarMag, May 10) was an excellent read. It reminded me that places like Penang Hill, Maxwell Hill, Fraser’s Hill and Cameron Highlands were once famous, but are now ruined by over-building.

These are historical sites and part and parcel of our heritage. Among the four hills, Cameron Highlands has lost its shine for good and it can’t be salvaged. Hopefully, nature lovers will ensure the remaining three hills retain their old charms and historical buildings.

Two months ago, Human Resources Deputy Minister Senator Datuk Maznah Mazlan said that only nature lovers now visit Fraser’s Hill. Now what is wrong with that? That was the second time she made such a comment; the first was in 2008 when she was chairman of the Fraser’s Hill Development Board.

Maybe she is unhappy that Fraser’s Hill doesn’t attract enough people because it is not a concrete jungle. But enough destruction in the name of development has been wreaked on Cameron Highlands. Mount Kinabalu is also in danger of losing its natural habitat if the brakes are not applied now.

A 2008 article on Fraser’s Hill by the Malaysian Nature Society called it “the last frontier” in our country. People should be allowed to choose if they want to enjoy its simple charms; if they want to dance, wine and gamble, they can head to Genting Highlands instead.

I visited Fraser’s Hill in 2002 after my retirement. I made the trip on my old trusty Honda motorcycle and travelled around Malaysia, and also made my way up Genting Highlands and Cameron Highlands. My motorcycle was not allowed up Maxwell Hill, so I didn’t go there.

When I was in Cameron Highlands, I found the environment had changed drastically due to rapid development and soil erosion. Even the climate had changed. The once green highlands, which Malaysians made a beeline to every school holidays, were gone.

There weren’t many visitors in Fraser’s Hill. Maybe there weren’t enough wild night spots; maybe it was the winding road that put them off. That road is the same as it was under British administration and is small and allows only one-way traffic. However, both sides of the road boast varied species of fauna and flora, and lovely gushing streams. Truly the green, green, grass of our homeland.

As for the hill’s historical significance, many don’t know that Sir Henry Gurney, the British High Commissioner to Malaya, was shot dead by the communists on his way back to Fraser’s Hill on Oct 5, 1951. The authorities have marked the exact spot he fell under heavy gun fire and there’s a notice board to explain what happened.

All these different aspects show exactly why we have to preserve Fraser’s Hill. We have to stop anyone who wants to change it. Always remember that development comes with a heavy price. Why should we replace what’s there with ugly high-rise buildings with awful designs?

The Fraser’s Hill Development Corporation Chairman in 2008 wanted very much to bring changes to promote this last frontier. That’s all good and fine. However, much restraint should be exercised in order not to cause permanent damage to the surroundings.

Planners have to ensure that the police station, which has been there since 1919, remains. The same goes for the clock tower and the post office.

Please let us enjoy the beauty of the hills for many years to come. As a nature lover, that is my sincere wish.

K. Rammamurthy Achari
Penang
Sunday May 17, 2009