Improving Environmental Impact Assessment (Eia) Process in Malaysia

Abstract

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a planning tool to identify, predict and evaluate potential environmental impacts and mitigation measures in the early stages of proposed projects. Although EIA has been implemented in Malaysia for over 25 years, the EIA practices have yet to achieve the parameters of effective environmental management and sustainable development. Hence, this research aims to improve the EIA process in Malaysia. Three objectives were utilised in this research which are to recognise the fundamentals of EIA process and procedures applied in Malaysia, to analyse the issues in relation to the EIA preparation and submission conducted in Malaysia and to propose a set of recommendations to further improve the current EIA process in Malaysia. Mixed methods approach was embarked composed of qualitative instruments via document review and semi-structured interviews and quantitative instrument utilising questionnaire survey. Key issues on the EIA process in Malaysia were gathered from qualitative data collected. Analysis of data collected resulted to recommendations on the key issues regarding EIA. 25 proposed recommendations to improve the EIA process were contextualised and validated via questionnaire survey. Ergo, this research established an improved EIA process in Malaysia towards sustainable development to ameliorate the EIA practices in Malaysia.

Public Participation Assessment for Environmental Impact Assessment in Malaysia, Canada and New Zealand

“…According to Makmor and Ismail (2014), the public participation carried out under the First Schedule for EIA in Malaysia is often shallow and insignificant. Briffet et al (2004), Harun & Mazlan (2008), Makmor and Ismail (2016a), Marzuki (2009) and Li et al (2012) have concurred with evidences that shown most of the EIA reports of the First Schedule activities that were submitted and approved by the DOE without public participation. As for the Second Schedule activities, it is mandatory to administer the public participation under the EIA guidelines.…”

“…Conclusively, the EIA is interpreted as a sophisticated management tool that identifies, evaluates and mitigates effects from prior to the development in the proposal stage, ensuring the development is sustainable and environmental friendly.The increase of economic growth in Malaysia has pressured the Government to implement a new order to establish balance the vast economic growth to the environmental protection in Malaysia (Mustafa, 2011). Hence, the Environmental Quality Act (EQA) was enacted in 1974 to avoid, minimise and regulate the level of pollution thus sustain the Malaysian environment (Makmor and Ismail, 2016a;Memon, 2000;Mustafa, 2011;Rahman et al, 2001). The Environment Impact Assessment was inaugurated in Malaysia in 1975 after the enactment of the Environment Quality Act (EQA) in 1974 (Makmor and Ismail, 2016a;Memon, 2000).…”

“…Hence, the Environmental Quality Act (EQA) was enacted in 1974 to avoid, minimise and regulate the level of pollution thus sustain the Malaysian environment (Makmor and Ismail, 2016a;Memon, 2000;Mustafa, 2011;Rahman et al, 2001). The Environment Impact Assessment was inaugurated in Malaysia in 1975 after the enactment of the Environment Quality Act (EQA) in 1974 (Makmor and Ismail, 2016a;Memon, 2000). EIA has been implemented in Malaysia for more than four decades and has not achieved the effective application of EIA (Makmor and Ismail, 2016;Wood, 2003).…”

Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Market-based Instruments and Trade Policies for Environmental Goods: Evidence from Malaysia

“…According to Companies A and D, the authorities keep adding onto the requirements while the study is in progress, thereby delaying the completion of the assessment by the consultants. Issues in the EIA process are also noted by Makmor and Ismail (2015), namely they observed that the Department of Environment (DOE) officers are generalists and not specialists, and they, therefore, have limited knowledge on the scope of EIA. This probably explains the changes in the specifications during the study and thereby resulting in higher costs for companies in producing the EIA.…”

The significance of Environmental Agencies in the Environmental Impact Assessment process

“…EIA is a tool used to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts of a project before decision-making. EIA is a planning tool to identify, predict and evaluate potential environmental impacts and mitigation measures in the early stages of proposed projects [9].…”