Development and Displacement in Orang Asli Lands

Across Malaysia, questions about Orang Asli land rights have been back in the headlines, from the detention of villagers in Pahang over a land dispute, to communities facing displacement, environmental damage, and development carried out without meaningful consultation. One of the latest flashpoint…

Illegal E-Waste in Malaysia Part 2: A System Revealed

Illegal e-waste is not a new issue in Malaysia, but recent events have brought it back into the headlines in a big way, from enforcement raids to high-profile investigations and new policy measures. In our previous episode, we spoke about the situation here in Malaysia and the recent developments t…

Illegal E-Waste in Malaysia Part 1: A Problem Exposed

Malaysia’s illegal e-waste trade has been making headlines in recent weeks, from major enforcement raids and large seizures at ports to corruption investigations involving senior officials. Authorities say the scale of the problem runs into billions of ringgit, raising serious concerns about pollut…

Saving Wetlands: The Story of Kuala Selangor Nature Park

Not too far from the heart of Kuala Lumpur, there’s a place where mangroves meet mudflats, migratory birds stop to rest, and silvered leaf monkeys peer down from the trees. The Kuala Selangor Nature Park may be easy to reach, but its importance goes far beyond a weekend escape. In conjunction with …

Malaysia Loses 47,000 Football Fields of Coral

Malaysia’s coral reefs are in trouble, and the numbers are getting harder to ignore. Reef Check Malaysia’s latest survey shows that live coral cover has fallen again, marking the third straight year of decline. But what does that actually mean for our oceans, our livelihoods, and our future? We spe…

Nature Reads: Books Rooted in Place and People

Nature Reads on Earth Matters is the show where we explore the stories behind books that bring us closer to nature and the world around us. Every month, we team up with the good folks at Sunda Shelves, an independent bookstore with a passion for wild places and thoughtful reads. For this month's ep…

Is Waste-to-Energy Really Sustainable?

Waste management is something most of us only think about when the bins aren’t collected or when landfills overflow. But behind the scenes, big decisions are being made about how Malaysia deals with its waste, and one solution that keeps coming up is Waste-to-Energy, or WtE. It’s often described as…

Malaysia’s First Climate Lawsuit Explained

Climate change is often discussed in terms of targets, pledges, and long-term plans. But what happens when companies make climate claims that may not be true, and when no government agency steps in to investigate? RimbaWatch has filed what is believed to be the country’s first climate litigation ca…

Indigenous Ecotourism with the Semai Community

This story begins almost ten years ago, with durian trees planted patiently and a village waiting for the right time. After hosting only small groups of friends for years, the Semai hosts at Indigenous Tropical Adventure & Homestay or ITAH are now ready to open their doors more widely, with support…

Fragmented-Connected: Finding Nature in a Concrete Klang Valley

Across the Klang Valley, many small green spaces are overlooked, even as they continue to support wildlife and communities. At the same time, there are people quietly working to protect, reconnect, and care for these places. The exhibition Fragmented-Connected asks what we have lost through urbanis…