Deforesting Malaysia: The Political Economy and Social Ecology of Agricultural Expansion and Commercial Logging - Hardcover

KS, Jomo; T, Chang Y; J, Khoo K

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1842774662 ISBN 13: 9781842774663

Publisher: Zed Books, 2004

Synopsis

This study of deforestation in Malaysia's three regions examines the different factors that shape them, the institutions and policies that determine forestry development, the ecological impact of deforestation, and sustainability. Much Malaysian deforestation reflects agricultural expansion or rural development and poverty alleviation projects, while logging became more significant after independence. Sabah and Sarawak have relied increasingly on the exploitation of their timber resources, and private greed and corruption at state level have overridden federal policies of sustainable management. The authors take a hard look at the economic and political forces in the international tropical timber trade. An ecologically rapacious emphasis on growth, coupled with politically powerful distribution coalitions, give little chance for policy reforms and no hope of radical change. The only pressure that has the slightest effect, it seems, is international criticism.

About this title

About the Author:

Jomo K. S. is Professor in the Applied Economics Department, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Chang and Khoo are experienced Malaysian researchers,while the other contributors to the volume are all based in Malaysia.

Review:

'.....a welcome addition..the case studies (in the book) add to the existing literature on the challenges of economic development and sustainability in developmentalist and developing contexts, providing students, researchers, and international development specialists with a grounded overview of how development policies could pan out on meeting with local contingent realities.' Claudio O. Delang, Kyoto University, Japan '..a welcome addition to the literature on environment and development. The main value of this book is the rich empirical data and analysis that are presented on agricultural and forest (mis)-management in Malaysia. The book will appeal to readers keen to understand how Malaysia has navigated the environment/ economics/ politics tradeoffs that bedevil many states around the world today. It should also be of interest to a wider audience given the political and environmental importance of Malaysia itself in the field of environment and development.' R. L. Bryant, Kings College London 'A very timely book examining the impact of agricultural expansion schemes and commercial logging on deforestation in Malaysia...the authors have presented a more balanced view of shifting cultivation and have highlighted that such cultivation can be ecologically friendly...Overall, a very laudable attempt by the various authors involved.' ASEAN Economic Bulletin, December 2005

About this edition

• Publisher: Zed Books
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 1842774662
• ISBN 13: 9781842774663
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 304