91
endless as the tides. Traditions carry forward, such as drying salted fish in the sun
before the rainy season, and recipes that honor the gifts that the seas bestow. As with
anything observed day after day, big-picture changes, such as climate and sea level,
may not be apparent to those living at the coast, even though these changes might
threaten their very way of life, sustenance and economy.
It’s imperative to be forewarned about possible coastal change. After spending
years working alongside the coastal people of Malaysia and their vibrant, rich,
Earth-oriented way of life, being able to provide tools to anticipate coastal change
is important. To make coastal inhabitants of Peninsular Malaysia alert to the likelihood of sea-level rise and to reassure inhabitants of Sarawak and Sabah that sealevel rise will likely not be an issue for their small part of paradise (at least in the
near term) is personally satisfying. The Expedisi was all about sea level and climate
change and the implications that will be felt by each individual living in harmony
with the environment along Malaysia’s beautiful coasts, happily eating Nasi Lemak
(rice and tiny dried fish) for breakfast. And, like the tides, the pull of my experiences
there will have a profound effect on all aspects of my life.
Acknowledgements I would like to thank Rokiah Suriadi, Noraisyah Sapon, Noor Azariyah
Mohtar, Mary Ann Parham and Joseph Bidai for their assistance in portions of this research. I
would also like to thank all of the boatmen and other locals from various parts of Malaysia who
made much of the field research possible. This research was partially funded by Malaysia Ministry
of Science and Innovation (MOSTI) ScienceFund project number 04-01-12-SF0163.
If You Would Like Additional Information
Hanebuth TJJ, Voris HK, Yokoyama Y, Saito Y, Okuno J (2011) Formation and fate of sedimentary
depocentres on Southeast Asia’s Sunda Shelf over the past sea-level cycle and biogeographic
implications. Earth-Sci Rev 104:92–110
Hutchison CS, Tan DNK (eds) (2009) Geology of Peninsular Malaysia. Geological Society of
Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
Kamaludin BH (2002) Holocene sea level changes in Peninsular Malaysia. Geol Soc Malaysia
Bull 45:301–307
Kessler FL, Jong J (2015) Incision of rivers in Pleistocene gravel and conglomeratic terraces: further circumstantial evidence for the uplift of Borneo during the Neogene and Quaternary. Geol
Soc Malaysia Bull 61:49–57
Parham PR (2016) Late Cenozoic relative sea-level highstand record from Peninsular Malaysia
and Malaysian Borneo: implications for vertical crustal movements. Bull Geol Soc Malaysia
62:83–104
Tjia HD, Sharifah Mastura SA (2013) Sea level changes in Peninsular Malaysia: a geological
perspective. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi
5 A Different Kind of Sea-Level Story from Malaysia
endless as the tides. Traditions carry forward, such as drying salted fish in the sun
before the rainy season, and recipes that honor the gifts that the seas bestow. As with
anything observed day after day, big-picture changes, such as climate and sea level,
may not be apparent to those living at the coast, even though these changes might
threaten their very way of life, sustenance and economy.
It’s imperative to be forewarned about possible coastal change. After spending
years working alongside the coastal people of Malaysia and their vibrant, rich,
Earth-oriented way of life, being able to provide tools to anticipate coastal change
is important. To make coastal inhabitants of Peninsular Malaysia alert to the likelihood of sea-level rise and to reassure inhabitants of Sarawak and Sabah that sealevel rise will likely not be an issue for their small part of paradise (at least in the
near term) is personally satisfying. The Expedisi was all about sea level and climate
change and the implications that will be felt by each individual living in harmony
with the environment along Malaysia’s beautiful coasts, happily eating Nasi Lemak
(rice and tiny dried fish) for breakfast. And, like the tides, the pull of my experiences
there will have a profound effect on all aspects of my life.
Acknowledgements I would like to thank Rokiah Suriadi, Noraisyah Sapon, Noor Azariyah
Mohtar, Mary Ann Parham and Joseph Bidai for their assistance in portions of this research. I
would also like to thank all of the boatmen and other locals from various parts of Malaysia who
made much of the field research possible. This research was partially funded by Malaysia Ministry
of Science and Innovation (MOSTI) ScienceFund project number 04-01-12-SF0163.
If You Would Like Additional Information
Hanebuth TJJ, Voris HK, Yokoyama Y, Saito Y, Okuno J (2011) Formation and fate of sedimentary
depocentres on Southeast Asia’s Sunda Shelf over the past sea-level cycle and biogeographic
implications. Earth-Sci Rev 104:92–110
Hutchison CS, Tan DNK (eds) (2009) Geology of Peninsular Malaysia. Geological Society of
Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
Kamaludin BH (2002) Holocene sea level changes in Peninsular Malaysia. Geol Soc Malaysia
Bull 45:301–307
Kessler FL, Jong J (2015) Incision of rivers in Pleistocene gravel and conglomeratic terraces: further circumstantial evidence for the uplift of Borneo during the Neogene and Quaternary. Geol
Soc Malaysia Bull 61:49–57
Parham PR (2016) Late Cenozoic relative sea-level highstand record from Peninsular Malaysia
and Malaysian Borneo: implications for vertical crustal movements. Bull Geol Soc Malaysia
62:83–104
Tjia HD, Sharifah Mastura SA (2013) Sea level changes in Peninsular Malaysia: a geological
perspective. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi
5 A Different Kind of Sea-Level Story from Malaysia