4
Asli at the time, and new strategies employed to mitigate those effects. However, all
observations noted here are germane to all Malaysians today.
Background
Generally, and internationally speaking, the time the First (1966–1970) and Second
(1971–1975) Malaysia Plans were implemented was an interesting period of time in
the evolution of environmental awareness (Government of Malaysia 1966, 1971). In
the United States (US), for example, the 1960s and early 1970s were times of great
idealism, tragedy and social unrest (King 1963; Woodstock Festival 1969; Beetles
1970; Young 1972). In 1962, Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring documented the
effects of pesticides in the food chain (Carson 1962a, 1962b); Martin Luther King Jr
made his famous “I Have a Dream” speech advancing civil rights in August 1963 and
president John F. Kennedy, who established the Peace Corps, was assassinated in
November the same year; humans set foot on the moon in 1969; Earth Day was established in 1970 (The History of Earth Day 2019) ; and multiple social gatherings, such
as the legendary Woodstock, are examples of watershed events that transformed environmental awareness and activism around the world. Environmental concerns were
also addressed in music: The Beetles, Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young to mention a few.
Prior to the 1960s, most developed countries were primarily concerned with wilderness and conservation of resources, such as timber. But this emphasis changed as
the 1960s loomed! Countries began to fully understand the relationship between
pollution, environmental integrity, and human health and social welfare. Political
activism increased with the aim of preventing environmental degradation. This led
to an intensifying call by people and the media for governments to reduce and/or
mitigate negative effects of development on the environmental, and to reduce pollution, besides regulating developments closely.
Of course, people have adjusted to changing environmental realities since creation. This is true for all people, including the Orang Asli. Nevertheless, it was during
the 1960s and early 1970s that social consciousness was greatly advanced. For example, in the US, more benchmark environmental legislation was passed during these
two decades in the country’s history, and it has remained so ever since. The Multiple
Use and Sustained Yield Act (1960), Clean Air (Clean Air Act 1970), Clean Water
(Clean Air Act 1972), Soil and Water Conservation Act (Soil and Water Conservation
Act 1977), Threatened and Endangered Species Act (Endangered Species Act 1973),
NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act 1978) and scores of other “green” legislations were among those enacted. The important thing is that such legislation flowed
NOT out of foresight, but of hindsight — being mostly triggered by adverse effects
of development on environmental hygiene, health and social wellbeing.
Despite the global progress in understanding the relationship between human
health and the integrity of ecological systems, as in the US, most policymakers in
developing countries believed that ecology was a luxury that could not be afforded
from the onset. The approach was to develop first, generating economic opportunity
A. Abee
Asli at the time, and new strategies employed to mitigate those effects. However, all
observations noted here are germane to all Malaysians today.
Background
Generally, and internationally speaking, the time the First (1966–1970) and Second
(1971–1975) Malaysia Plans were implemented was an interesting period of time in
the evolution of environmental awareness (Government of Malaysia 1966, 1971). In
the United States (US), for example, the 1960s and early 1970s were times of great
idealism, tragedy and social unrest (King 1963; Woodstock Festival 1969; Beetles
1970; Young 1972). In 1962, Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring documented the
effects of pesticides in the food chain (Carson 1962a, 1962b); Martin Luther King Jr
made his famous “I Have a Dream” speech advancing civil rights in August 1963 and
president John F. Kennedy, who established the Peace Corps, was assassinated in
November the same year; humans set foot on the moon in 1969; Earth Day was established in 1970 (The History of Earth Day 2019) ; and multiple social gatherings, such
as the legendary Woodstock, are examples of watershed events that transformed environmental awareness and activism around the world. Environmental concerns were
also addressed in music: The Beetles, Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young to mention a few.
Prior to the 1960s, most developed countries were primarily concerned with wilderness and conservation of resources, such as timber. But this emphasis changed as
the 1960s loomed! Countries began to fully understand the relationship between
pollution, environmental integrity, and human health and social welfare. Political
activism increased with the aim of preventing environmental degradation. This led
to an intensifying call by people and the media for governments to reduce and/or
mitigate negative effects of development on the environmental, and to reduce pollution, besides regulating developments closely.
Of course, people have adjusted to changing environmental realities since creation. This is true for all people, including the Orang Asli. Nevertheless, it was during
the 1960s and early 1970s that social consciousness was greatly advanced. For example, in the US, more benchmark environmental legislation was passed during these
two decades in the country’s history, and it has remained so ever since. The Multiple
Use and Sustained Yield Act (1960), Clean Air (Clean Air Act 1970), Clean Water
(Clean Air Act 1972), Soil and Water Conservation Act (Soil and Water Conservation
Act 1977), Threatened and Endangered Species Act (Endangered Species Act 1973),
NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act 1978) and scores of other “green” legislations were among those enacted. The important thing is that such legislation flowed
NOT out of foresight, but of hindsight — being mostly triggered by adverse effects
of development on environmental hygiene, health and social wellbeing.
Despite the global progress in understanding the relationship between human
health and the integrity of ecological systems, as in the US, most policymakers in
developing countries believed that ecology was a luxury that could not be afforded
from the onset. The approach was to develop first, generating economic opportunity
A. Abee