11.6 Discussion and Suggestions
As obtained results from the analyzed generated based on the participants’ perspectives, it is noted that the majority of the respondents feel they are affected by
deforestation, while others are not sure. A total of 24 respondents who responded
affirmatively, 16 were from East Malaysia, 6 from West Malaysia and the rest from
out of the country. In fact, most of the deforestation in Malaysia has taken place in
East Malaysia (Shoumatoff 2017). Therefore, it is reasonable the majority of affected
respondents come from there. The average of respondents who chose palm oil
plantations as the main cause of deforestation was 44%, and most of these were
from outside Malaysia. However, the majority of Malaysian participants in this
survey believed urbanization to be the top crucial factor of deforestation, with
56% from East Malaysia and 40% from West Malaysia. However, it concluded
that palm oil plantations are a main cause of deforestation, since this category has the
highest average among all of them, and it cannot be denied that Malaysia is one of
the biggest exporters of palm oil. As Basiron (2004) stated, palm oil is a good
commodity, helping eradicate rural poverty, and Malaysia has a suitable climate for
palm, as it leads in palm oil exporting. Our respondents did believe the effects of
deforestation could lead to negative disasters such landslide, climate change and
primate extinction. Most of the participants from East Malaysian agreed climate
change to be the effect of deforestation, while the majority in the western part of
Malaysia chose landslide as the effect of deforestation. However, the respondents
from outside Malaysia who participated in the survey mostly agreed that deforestation impacts on both primate extinction and climate change. All the above observed
causes in our obtained findings are almost in line with past studies’ findings. For
instance, three in five Malaysians will be exposed to climate change vis-à-vis
increasing average surface temperature at the end of the twenty-first century
(Tangang et al. 2012). The changes in the forest landscape impact animal life and
biodiversity. Turner (1996) in his study showed that hillside developments can have
serious irreversible impacts on the immediate surroundings and downstream environments in the form of deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution, the extinction of
flora and fauna, flash flood and landslides (Lime and Lee 1992).
11.7 Recommendations
Based on the obtained results, quite a number of respondents chose palm oil
plantation as the primary cause of deforestation. In fact, palm oil makes up 15% of
Malaysia’s total export (Patrick 2017). FAOSTAT (2015) found that palm oil
dominates the country’s agricultural production with 17.5 million tons produced in
2009; this accounts for about 40% of the world’s palm oil production. In 2008,
Malaysia exported 14.1 million tons of palm oil (with a value of 903 US$/ton).
However, a palm oil plantation requires considerable land to yield a crop. The moist
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As obtained results from the analyzed generated based on the participants’ perspectives, it is noted that the majority of the respondents feel they are affected by
deforestation, while others are not sure. A total of 24 respondents who responded
affirmatively, 16 were from East Malaysia, 6 from West Malaysia and the rest from
out of the country. In fact, most of the deforestation in Malaysia has taken place in
East Malaysia (Shoumatoff 2017). Therefore, it is reasonable the majority of affected
respondents come from there. The average of respondents who chose palm oil
plantations as the main cause of deforestation was 44%, and most of these were
from outside Malaysia. However, the majority of Malaysian participants in this
survey believed urbanization to be the top crucial factor of deforestation, with
56% from East Malaysia and 40% from West Malaysia. However, it concluded
that palm oil plantations are a main cause of deforestation, since this category has the
highest average among all of them, and it cannot be denied that Malaysia is one of
the biggest exporters of palm oil. As Basiron (2004) stated, palm oil is a good
commodity, helping eradicate rural poverty, and Malaysia has a suitable climate for
palm, as it leads in palm oil exporting. Our respondents did believe the effects of
deforestation could lead to negative disasters such landslide, climate change and
primate extinction. Most of the participants from East Malaysian agreed climate
change to be the effect of deforestation, while the majority in the western part of
Malaysia chose landslide as the effect of deforestation. However, the respondents
from outside Malaysia who participated in the survey mostly agreed that deforestation impacts on both primate extinction and climate change. All the above observed
causes in our obtained findings are almost in line with past studies’ findings. For
instance, three in five Malaysians will be exposed to climate change vis-à-vis
increasing average surface temperature at the end of the twenty-first century
(Tangang et al. 2012). The changes in the forest landscape impact animal life and
biodiversity. Turner (1996) in his study showed that hillside developments can have
serious irreversible impacts on the immediate surroundings and downstream environments in the form of deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution, the extinction of
flora and fauna, flash flood and landslides (Lime and Lee 1992).
11.7 Recommendations
Based on the obtained results, quite a number of respondents chose palm oil
plantation as the primary cause of deforestation. In fact, palm oil makes up 15% of
Malaysia’s total export (Patrick 2017). FAOSTAT (2015) found that palm oil
dominates the country’s agricultural production with 17.5 million tons produced in
2009; this accounts for about 40% of the world’s palm oil production. In 2008,
Malaysia exported 14.1 million tons of palm oil (with a value of 903 US$/ton).
However, a palm oil plantation requires considerable land to yield a crop. The moist
186
A. Omran and O. Schwarz-Herion