Annex I: Other Policies Developed in Malaysia Related
to Peatlands
National Physical Plan (Reviewed Every Five-Year
and Parallel with Five-Year Rolling Plan), Third National
Physical Plan, 2016–2020
At Federal level, the Department of Urban and Rural Development plans the
development and zoning of the country, but policies have to be endorsed by the
state councils. There is also some difference between land laws in Peninsular
Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. The National Physical Plan is a guiding document
to all states and district to prepare the local plans. The Plan provides strategic policies
for the purpose of determining general directions and trends of the physical development of the nation. The Plan plays the role to strengthen national planning and
coordinate sectoral agencies by providing the spatial expression to sectoral policies.
One of the main objectives of the Plan is to optimise utilisation of land and natural
resources for sustainable development. Its goal is to establish an efficient, equitable
and sustainable national spatial framework to guide the overall development of the
country towards achieving developed nation status by 2020.
The Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172) provides the legal basis for
the preparation of the National Physical Plan. To ensure its relevancy and usefulness
in the fast changing environment, Sub-section 6B (4) of the Act 172 obliges that the
Plan be reviewed every 5 years in tandem with the review of the Five-year Malaysia
Plan, or as and when directed by the National Physical Planning Council.
The Third National Physical Plan for Peninsular Malaysia (approved by the
Cabinet and the National Physical Planning Council in April 2015) considered the
wetlands are under-represented amongst all protected ecosystems and are under
constant threat for short-term economic uses. The Plan recommended that all
important wetlands should be conserved and gazetted as Protected Areas and
managed as environmentally sensitive areas in which “Rank 1” allows no development, agriculture nor logging to be undertaken in this category.
National Forestry Policy 1978 (Revision 1993) and National
Forestry Act 1984
These policies were designed to ensure forest management areas should be protected
from encroachment such as illegal harvesting, unpermitted settlement and activities.
Interim Forest Policy was formulated in 1952, then National Forestry Policy developed and adopted by the National Land Council and implemented in Peninsula
Malaysia in 1978. Its revision in 1992, approved by the National Land Council,
emphasised on sustainable forest management requirements and conservation of
26 National Strategies on Responsible Management of Tropical Peatland in Malaysia
715
to Peatlands
National Physical Plan (Reviewed Every Five-Year
and Parallel with Five-Year Rolling Plan), Third National
Physical Plan, 2016–2020
At Federal level, the Department of Urban and Rural Development plans the
development and zoning of the country, but policies have to be endorsed by the
state councils. There is also some difference between land laws in Peninsular
Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. The National Physical Plan is a guiding document
to all states and district to prepare the local plans. The Plan provides strategic policies
for the purpose of determining general directions and trends of the physical development of the nation. The Plan plays the role to strengthen national planning and
coordinate sectoral agencies by providing the spatial expression to sectoral policies.
One of the main objectives of the Plan is to optimise utilisation of land and natural
resources for sustainable development. Its goal is to establish an efficient, equitable
and sustainable national spatial framework to guide the overall development of the
country towards achieving developed nation status by 2020.
The Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172) provides the legal basis for
the preparation of the National Physical Plan. To ensure its relevancy and usefulness
in the fast changing environment, Sub-section 6B (4) of the Act 172 obliges that the
Plan be reviewed every 5 years in tandem with the review of the Five-year Malaysia
Plan, or as and when directed by the National Physical Planning Council.
The Third National Physical Plan for Peninsular Malaysia (approved by the
Cabinet and the National Physical Planning Council in April 2015) considered the
wetlands are under-represented amongst all protected ecosystems and are under
constant threat for short-term economic uses. The Plan recommended that all
important wetlands should be conserved and gazetted as Protected Areas and
managed as environmentally sensitive areas in which “Rank 1” allows no development, agriculture nor logging to be undertaken in this category.
National Forestry Policy 1978 (Revision 1993) and National
Forestry Act 1984
These policies were designed to ensure forest management areas should be protected
from encroachment such as illegal harvesting, unpermitted settlement and activities.
Interim Forest Policy was formulated in 1952, then National Forestry Policy developed and adopted by the National Land Council and implemented in Peninsula
Malaysia in 1978. Its revision in 1992, approved by the National Land Council,
emphasised on sustainable forest management requirements and conservation of
26 National Strategies on Responsible Management of Tropical Peatland in Malaysia
715