Stop the desecration of Cameron Highlands

Stop the desecration of Cameron Highlands
Thursday July 22, 2010

I was a resident of Cameron Highlands for almost 10 years and returned recently after a short break of three years. I am shocked at what I see today.

There appears to have been no control over land clearing, building development or river preservation. Hotels, housing schemes, farms and small industries have emerged indiscriminately all over the highlands, especially in the larger towns of Ringlet, Tanah Rata, Brinchang, Kea Farm and Bertam Valley.

There has been a complete desecration and disregard for this beautiful highland and its pristine rivers.

What saddens me the most is that these developments are not out of necessity but out of sheer greed.

Local residents are heartbroken at what can justly be describes as the “rape of Camerons”. They are powerless over what is happening around them. Numerous complaints to the relevant government agencies and departments have fallen on deaf ears.

The infrastructure of Cameron Highlands cannot support the current rate of development. A relatively short distance of 3km can take one or more hours of travelling time on weekends and public holidays!

In addition, water supply, parking space and proper sewage treatment facilities are sorely lacking.

The Tourism Ministry, in its “1Malaysia Green and Clean Campaign” (The Star, July 19), hopes to attract 36 million foreign tourists to Malaysia, making it a top world tourist destination. Unfortunately, with what is happening in Cameron Highlands today, highland tourism will eventually decrease, if not altogether cease in the future.

I urge those who have the ultimate power to enforce preservation and curtail the current desecration of Cameron Highlands to act as soon as possible before it is too late.

REV DR VIJENDRA DANIEL,
Petaling Jaya.