UPM-JICA
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Faculty of Science & Environmental Studies
Dept. of Biology
Dept. of Environmental Science
Dept. of Biochemistry & Microbiology
Dept. of chemistry
Dept. of Mathematics
Dept. of Physics

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UPM
JICA
Department of Environment
Department of Fisheries
International Maritime Organization
Marine Department of Malaysia
United Nations Development Prog.

Background

Malacca Straits is a golden heritage of the littoral states such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.  It is not only rich in marine resources but is one of the oldest and busiest shipping lanes in the world.  Malacca Straits serves as a primary conduit for the movement of cargo and human traffic between Indo-European region and the rest of Asia and Australia.  It is the shortest East-West sea route compared to the Indonesia’s Macassar and Lombok Straits. Every year about RM$3.8 trillion worth of goods and services pass through the region formed by the Straits of Malacca and other associated shipping routes. By using the Malacca Straits, the Japanese petroleum Industry saves up to RM1.3 billion annually.

This Straits supplies myriads of marine resources and supports the economy of the littoral states.  More than 380,000 tonnes of fish (more than 60% of the total fish caught per year) costing RM1.2 billion per year is landed from the Straits of Malacca. In Indonesia, The Straits of Malacca contributes the second highest fish production after the Java Sea.  High quality and safe fish harvest is extremely important to ensure sustainable socio-economic development and health of the people. Other economic activities such as mariculture, tourism, recreation and maritime industry are dependent on the viability and pristine conditions of the Straits. The Straits is also an important site for archaeological resources.

Today, increase of shipping activities along the 1,000 km shipping lane and the rapid development in the coastal areas threatens the environment of the Straits.  To ensure navigational safety in the narrow and shallow Straits, the Malaysia Government invested RM52 million to install 256 navigational aids in addition to RM100 million for putting up a vessel traffic management system. From 1978 till 1994, a total of 476 accidents including oil spill occurred in the Straits with an average of 30 accidents per year.  About 274 vessels of all types passes through Straits each year and 36% of them are oil tankers and this will increase the discharges in the sea including oil, ballast water, sewage and other solid wastes.  By the year 2,000, it is estimated that 888,000 tonnes of waste will be generated by the vessels plying the Straits comprising of 150,000 tonnes of oily bilgewater, 18 tonnes of solid wastes and 720,000 tonnes of sewage. While international community enjoys the benefits of the waterway, the littoral states are left with the burden of financing navigational safety measures and bear the consequences of oil spill and other shipping based pollution.

From the shore, different types of pollutants from industries, agriculture, land-used activities and domestic wastes are discharged into the Straits. Along the coast, sand mining activities, development in mangroves swamps and land reclamation have degraded the habitat for marine life.

Due to the critical role of the Malacca Straits in the socio-economic development of the country, the issues on the sustainable management of the Straits have to be taken seriously by the relevant authorities. With the increase of economic activities in the east Asian region and the Pacific, the traffic in the Malacca Straits becomes busier. Rapid Development without consideration towards environment, and the resulting pollution along the Straits would result in negative impact not only to marine life, but to the people of the littoral states either of economy, social or health. Currently, the Straits has never been managed on a holistic basis. Transboundary management agreements have tended to focus so far on navigational regimes and have yet to adopt a broad based approach to managing both living and non-living resources of the waterway. To ensure the sustainability of the Straits of Malacca, concrete steps have to be taken by the relevant authorities to come out with a management plan for the Straits, which would include the contributions from international community to bear the cost of maintaining the Straits.

The Malacca Straits has been an important international waterway and it is now the second busiest shipping lane in the world. However, maritime activities and rapid development along its coast have brought about severe threats to its ecosystems and natural resources. A study on various fields related to the environment and resources of the Straits is needed to effectively utilize and manage these fragile marine ecosystems. Thus, relevant issues pertaining to resource and pollution management can be addressed in the right perspective for the sustainable development of the Straits of Malacca and its environ.

On 18 August 1995, UPM submitted a proposal on the studies of the Malacca Straits to the Economic Planning Unit (EPU). This project draws upon the expertise present in the Faculties of Science and Environmental Studies, Agriculture, Biomedical, Veterinary Medicine, Economics and Management, and Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia Terengganu. The availability of a marine station, Centre of Oceanography and Mariculture Studies (COMAS ) which is strategically situated in Port Dickson will further enhance the development of the Straits of Malacca project.

A letter further strengthening the justification of the proposal was sent to JICA Office Kuala Lumpur on 8th December 1995. Subsequent discussion between JICA and UPM took place on the 7th June 1996 regarding the operation of the technical cooperation. Convinced on the importance of the project, a Preliminary Study Team led by the Director, Fisheries Cooperation Division, JICA Headquarters, visited UPM from 10^th- 24^th April 1997.

On 17^th April 1997, Prof. Dato’ Syed Jalaludin bin Syed Salim, the UPM Vice Chancellor, and Mr. Masaru Okuno, leader of the Survey Team, signed the Minutes of the Meeting on the Technical Cooperation on the Straits of Malacca.

Subsequently, JICA dispatched a four-member Preliminary Study Team from 28^th July to 4^th September, 1997 to hold preliminary discussions with the relevant Malaysian authorities such as UPM, EPU, Department of Environment, Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (DOE), and the Department of Fisheries Malaysia (DOF), on the project. During this visit, JICA was convinced that UPM has the right expertise to undertake the research on resources and environmental studies of the Straits of Malacca.

As a follow-up, JICA dispatched a 4-member Project Implementation Team led by Mr. Takashi Sakamoto (Director, Planning Division, Forestry and Fisheries Development Cooperation Department, JICA) to conclude the discussion of the above study from 23^rd November to 5^th December 1997. On 1^st December 1997, Prof. Dato’ Syed Jalaludin Syed Salim, UPM Vice Chancellor, and Mr. Takashi Sakamoto, leader of the Japanese Implementation Study Team, signed the Record of Discussion on the Technical Cooperation on `Aquatic Resources and Environmental Studies on the Straits of Malacca’ .