Malaysia signed the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on 12 June 1992 and ratified it on 24 June 1994. This report builds upon the previous three National Reports with updates on recent developments, status and also achievements.
Chapter 1 presents an overview of biodiversity status, trends and threats in Malaysia. Safeguarding of ecosystems is important to ensure conservation of biodiversity. In 2007, among the 19.6 million hectares of forested areas in Malaysia, 14.3 million hectares (43.4%) were gazetted as permanent reserved forest, and 1.9 million hectares (5.9%) were gazetted as national parks, wildlife and bird sanctuaries. This is in line with the country’s commitment to biodiversity conservation. Together they exceed the global 2010 biodiversity target of 10%.
Malaysia has an estimated 15,000 species of vascular plants, 229 species of mammals, 742 species of birds, 242 species of amphibians, 567 species of reptiles, over 290 species of freshwater fish, and over 500 species of marine fish. This chapter also presents examples and
extents of conservation of plant and animal genetic resources for food and agriculture.
Chapter 2 provides an overview of the implementation of the National Policy on Biological Diversity. It also presents the challenges and capacity development activities identified during the National Capacity Need Self-Assessment for Global Environmental Management
(NCSA) Project. Thirteen activities are related to CBD that aim to improve and enhance existing implementation in terms of policy and institutional framework, regulation and guidelines, federal and state cooperation, inter-agency coordination, knowledge and information management, incentives, increasing the number of experts - particularly taxonomists, research and development, reporting framework and mainstreaming conservation of biological diversity.
Chapter 3 presents the mainstreaming of biodiversity considerations into the various policies, strategies and action plans. It shows how biodiversity issues are integrated into the various national policies, plans and instruments such as the 5-year Malaysia Plans, the National
Policy on Biological Diversity (1998), National Policy on the Environment (2002), National Wetlands Policy (2004), National Physical Plan (2005), and National Urbanisation Plan (2006). Conservation of natural resources and biological diversity are implemented through
various sectoral laws and regulations such as the Protection of Wildlife Act (1972), Environmental Quality Act (1974), National Forestry Act (1984) and Fisheries Act (1985).
Chapter 4 presents the progress towards the 2010 Target and the Implementation of the Strategic Plan. The 2010 Goals and Target provide an indicative direction for governments to focus their implementation. Based on the findings of this report and self-assessment,
Malaysia is on track to achieve the 2010 Targets, and in some areas certain targets have already been achieved.
Malaysia is committed to sustainable use and management of natural resources. Continued financial and technical resource will be needed to ensure that this commitment is continually achieved. This has to be coupled with financial and technical support from donor countries and organisations for implementation of programmes and projects that are in line with national priorities, and aligned to the objectives of CBD.
