IT has been brought to our attention that the Pahang government is favourably considering YTL Cement Bhd’s application to extract limestone from Gunung Jabak Puyuh in Jengka, Pahang.

We also note that the YTL Group considers itself to be an environmentally responsible corporate citizen. YTL has supported several significant environmental projects, currently and in the past, and is a large contributor to nature conservation in Malaysia.

In addition, YTL prides itself on taking the lead to minimise its corporate footprint on the environment and prides itself on leading the fight against climate change by minimising its carbon footprint.

Not many are aware that Gunung Jabak Puyuh is a hill of extremely high conservation value as it harbours important archaeological artifacts and a substantial number of rare flora and fauna.

The larger Gunung Senyum, less than 1km west of Gunung Jabak Puyuh, is a popular recreational attraction as it has several easily accessible caves. In fact, the Pahang Forestry Department is currently managing the hill as a recreational site.

Bukit Jabak Puyuh, being a satellite of the larger Gunung Senyum, is less visited but is thought to be biologically as diverse as Gunung Senyum.

Limestone hills are like islands surrounded by tropical rainforest. Their habitat is very different from the surrounding area. Limestone hills in Ma-laysia tend to have shallow soil cover and are hotter and very much dryer.

Plants and animals living in this harsh habitat have evolved over eons to adapt to this condition. Due to this, many flora and fauna found on limestone hills are rare and endemic, sometimes found on one particular hill only and nowhere else. Although limestone hills cover less than one per cent of Malaysia’s land area, they contribute more than 20 per cent of Malaysia’s plant endemics.

Gunung Senyum and Bukit Jabak Puyuh are no different. Of the 48 known snail species found in these hills, 11 are endemic to Malaysia and of these, six are site-endemic, that is, only found on these hills. Limestone hills are also known for caves where a whole range of unique plants, animals and geological features are found.

Gunung Senyum and Bukit Jabak Puyuh are both important biodiversity reservoirs. The sad thing is that many limestone hills, including Gunung Senyum and Bukit Jabak Puyuh, are little studied.

Although in a perfect world, limestone hills would not be quarried, we are however pragmatic enough to realise that cement and other limestone-related products are necessary in our modern lives and that, for the moment, extraction of these materials must be allowed to a certain extent. However, there are technologies and quarrying methods widely available, such as basement quarrying, which neither deface nor destroy our natural, above-ground resources.

Utilising such methods is an opportunity for YTL to show leadership both in environmental stewardship and technological advancement.

More than 90 per cent of our limestone resources lie underground. Therefore, it makes more sense to utilise these than to destroy and deface what we can see. It is our hope that YTL will reconsider their plans for the sake of Malay-sia’s biodiversity.

HYMEIR KAMARUDIN, President, Malaysian Karst Society, Ipoh

Source: NST – August 25, 2008