LIKE a cat with nine lives, Bukit Larut has yet again survived another ordeal from the claws of development.

In mid January, a RM60 million project was “approved in principle” by the Perak government in a bid to jolt the idyllic highland into tourism maturity.

The plan was to make cable cars a feature to the country’s oldest hill station.

Founded in 1884 and located just 10 kilometres from the sleepy town of Taiping, the 1,250m hill is accessible only by hiking or riding in one of those government four-wheel drive vehicles.

But the project, approved by the Pakatan-led state government, was left dangling a week later because of the political situation in the state.

Still, the short-lived notice was enough to make some of those who have been following the Bukit Larut saga all these years to sit up and take notice.

Among the people who gave the green light were the very same who had opposed the mega development the Barisan Nasional-led state government had proposed for Taiping more than a decade ago.

The whole proposal was dismissed a year later when the BN state government listened to the people’s objections.

When contacted recently, former state executive councillor Nga Kor Ming said: “When we received the proposal, the cable car was deemed as one of the factors to boost tourism in Taiping. Bukit Larut has one of the best views.

“The fact is the state government approved in principle the soil testing of the area. We would ensure the environment is protected before we give an official approval.”

Consumer groups and environmentalists understandably riled up.

Malaysian Nature Society president Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor said: “We’re against the cable car project.

“The winding road is enough, that’s part of the fun of going up. If you want to enjoy nature, walk up or use the Land Rover. If you want to rush up and down, go in a helicopter.”

Salleh describes Bukit Larut as a very sensitive hill which might not be able to withstand the loads of tourists visiting the area.

“The project is irrational and unjustifiable for that kind of money in the present economic situation.”

Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (Fomca), which has been very vocal against any development in Bukit Larut since 1997, came up with an eight-point memorandum.

One of the points raised was safety.

According to the erosion risk map, Bukit Larut is situated in a high-risk area where soil loss is recorded to be over 150 ton/ha/year, the highest category in the country.

That amount of soil would weigh as heavy as a tractor.

That, coupled with Taiping’s high rainfall could result in landslides, says Fomca environment desk programme manager Piarapakaran Subramaniam.

In 2003, there were seven landslides in four days in Bukit Larut, he adds.

“Because it’s a dense jungle, you don’t see huge landslides. But if you start clearing areas, that gives way to water to seep through faster because the humus cover and sponge effect is gone.

“And since it’s an elevated area, when it rains and the wind blows, would the cable car passengers be secure?

“There is also the lateral load when the cables start swinging. Can the pillars take that?”

If there is one concern the people of Taiping should have over the development, it is in their water, says Datuk Indrani Thuraisingham.

Bukit Larut, formerly known as Maxwell Hill, is home to seven rivers which feed the 21.5 square km catchment area supplying water to people in Taiping and its surrounding areas.

The construction of the cable car pillars might not be in the catchment area, but the erosion and landslides that they may induce will pollute the water.

Already, the people of Perak are paying one of the highest tariffs in the country, says Indrani, president of Forum Air Malaysia.

Bukit Larut is also high in biodiversity, according to a biological management study carried out by Fomca and World- wide Fund for Nature-Malaysia over a decade ago.

A number of trees and ferns are listed to be endemic to the hill.

Piarapa- karan says the project company should be subjected to a detailed environmen- tal impact assessment even though that is not required by law as its construction area does not exceed 50ha.

MNS head of communications Andrew Sebastian says Bukit Larut is listed as an Environmentally Sensitive Area Rank 1 under the National Physical Plan.

As such, no development, agriculture or logging should be permitted in the area except for low-impact nature tourism, research and education.

Although green groups are relieved that Bukit Larut managed to escape the onslaught of development once again, they are not stopping their lobbying until the hill is accorded protected status.

Article from TheStar

Tags | bukit larut, cable car, highland, maxwell hill, taiping, tourism