Cameron Highlands: Paradise Lost Between Agricultural Demands And Tourism Woes

Malaysia’s iconic hill station is losing its cool – literally and figuratively. Once celebrated for its misty peaks and temperate climate, Cameron Highlands now battles a perfect storm of environmental crises.

Fernando Fong

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The mist-shrouded peaks of Cameron Highlands, Malaysia’s historic hill resort spanning 71,218 hectares in Pahang, are losing their cool—literally.

A troubling 1.6°C temperature rise recorded in 2021 marks an ominous shift for this highland sanctuary, where cool climate has long been its defining characteristic and economic foundation.

This warming trend strikes at the heart of the district’s dual identity.

At Habu, Cameron Highlands, vegetable terraces awkwardly intersect with tea plantations—a visual testament to the increasingly tenuous balance between intensive food production and tourism appeal. This uneasy coexistence reveals the growing strain between agricultural efficiency and preserving the region’s scenic charm. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

As Malaysia’s premier highland retreat and agricultural hub, Cameron Highlands faces an existential threat: rising temperatures that compromise its agricultural productivity and appeal as a cool-weather tourist destination.

The district’s environmental challenges have created a perfect storm. Agricultural intensification, infrastructure strain, and climate change erode the qualities that made Cameron Highlands unique—its cool climate, pristine environment, and agricultural fertility.

This convergence of pressures threatens to alter a landscape that has, for generations fundamentally, served as both Malaysia’s vegetable garden and its highland refuge.

A decade of transformation: Satellite imagery reveals the parallel stories of land use changes and temperature rise in Cameron Highlands (2009-2019). Red zones indicate areas where forest clearing and agricultural expansion have created urban heat islands, while the shrinking green patches mark the retreat of natural forest cover—documenting the direct relationship between land use changes and rising surface temperatures. (Source: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

Green to Grey: 8,400 Hectares of Forest Give Way to Farms

Agricultural expansion has taken a severe environmental toll.

Satellite imagery analysis by WWF-Malaysia shows that forest cover has decreased by 30% since 1990, with over 5,900 hectares now dedicated to vegetable farming and 2,500 hectares to tea plantations.

This deforestation contributes to the “heat island effect,” further elevating local temperatures.

Between 2002 and 2023, Cameron Highlands witnessed significant erosion of its ecological heritage, losing 2.04 thousand hectares of irreplaceable primary forest. This loss represents half of all tree cover depletion during this period, highlighting the disproportionate impact on the region’s most valuable forest ecosystems. (Source: Global Forest Watch)

Tourism faces its own crisis.

While visitor numbers peaked at 3.5 million in 2019, recent surveys show tourist satisfaction rates dropping below 60%, primarily due to chronic traffic congestion.

Weekend traffic jams often stretch 10-15 kilometres, with travel times from Tapah, Perak, to Tanah Rata increasing from 45 minutes to over 2 hours during peak periods.

"Gee I wonder why my parents only brought me to Cameron Highlands once when I was a kid?"

*experiences crippling 1-hour traffic jam*

…yeah, I don't think I'll come back to Cameron Highlands again. pic.twitter.com/seP7fBNHtt
— threads.net@shinfatcatlim / fatcatlim.bsky.social (@fatcatlim) June 2, 2024

Toxic Legacy: 80% of Cameron Highlands Rivers Polluted

Cameron Highlands’ reputation as Malaysia’s vegetable bowl—producing an impressive 1,000 metric tonnes of vegetables daily under favourable conditions—masks a growing environmental crisis.

The region’s water quality has deteriorated dramatically over three decades, with the Department of Environment (DOE) reporting a stark decline: 8 out of 10 rivers in Cameron Highlands are classified as Class III (polluted), a significant drop from their Class I-II status in the 1990s.

A highland stream in crisis: Crumbling cement embankments along a stream in Ringlet, Cameron Highlands—a failed attempt at erosion control—stand alongside stripped riverbanks and agricultural waste, revealing how quick-fix engineering and environmental neglect have left Cameron Highlands’ waterways in ruins. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

At the heart of this degradation lies intensive farming practices.

A 2023 MARDI study revealed that 40% of farms exceed safe pesticide usage levels, contributing to agricultural runoff that has pushed chemical concentrations in some waterways to 300% above national safety standards.

A farm terrace hugs the riverbank in Tringkap, Cameron Highlands, where agricultural runoff flows directly into waterways. This common farming practice—while maximizing arable land—has accelerated water pollution, with pesticides and fertilizers seeping unfiltered into the region’s once-pristine river system. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

The environmental toll extends beyond water pollution—soil erosion rates have reached an alarming 50 tons per hectare annually, five times the sustainable limit of 10 tons.

This environmental degradation presents a paradox: the practices enabling Cameron Highlands’ agricultural productivity undermine its long-term sustainability.

The region’s challenge now lies in balancing its role as a crucial food producer with the urgent need for environmental stewardship.

Aquatic plant proliferation: In lakes like the man-made Habu Lake near Ringlet, abundant aquatic plants are often linked to pesticide usage, creating an imbalance in the ecosystem. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Tourist Icons Turn Toxic: Landmark Waterfalls Face Crisis

The deterioration of Cameron Highlands’ famous waterfalls signals a more profound environmental crisis.

Robinson Falls now shows contamination levels five times above safety standards, while Parit Falls faces recurring closures due to pollution – stark examples of the region’s sustainability challenges.

The decline of these tourist attractions reflects a broader failure in environmental stewardship.

A 2023 sustainability report by the Cameron Highlands District Council (MDCH) reveals that merely 25% of agricultural operations and 30% of tourism businesses meet basic Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards, threatening the district’s investment appeal and future development prospects.

The shuttered Santorini-inspired attraction stands idle amid Kea Farm’s farmlands in Cameron Highlands—its operations suspended not for lack of appeal but for bypassing necessary approvals. This popular but premature venture awaits regulatory compliance before it can legally reopen, highlighting the delicate balance between tourism innovation and proper development protocols. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Balancing Act: The Road Ahead

The local government has responded by enforcing stricter regulations.

The Cameron Highlands Environmental Protection Act 2023 imposes heavy penalties for environmental violations, with fines of up to RM500,000 for illegal land clearing and mandatory ecological impact assessments for all new developments.

The Act prioritizes environmentally friendly practices to address concerns like deforestation, soil erosion, and pollution caused by unsustainable agriculture in the area.

All new developments in Cameron Highlands must undergo thorough environmental impact assessments before approval.

At the same time, the government also utilises technology like satellite surveillance to monitor land use changes and enforce compliance.

Initiatives to promote sustainable farming practices and responsible tourism are also likely to be part of the Act’s implementation.

However, success will require strict enforcement of environmental regulations, innovative farming methods, and responsible tourism practices, all of which are aligned with ESG principles.

This story was produced as part of the International Federation of Journalists’s (IFJ) Malaysia project, “Strengthening Malaysia Media for Change”.

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