SETTLEMENT AND

COMMUNITY IN TRINGKAP
MUHAMMAD FAIZ BIN MOHAMMAD ZAIDI

(AED130024)

MUHAMMAD ASYRAF BIN MAT SILIJI

(AED130023)

NUR ADIBAH BINTI MOHD BAKI

(AEN130005)

KANJANA SUMALAI

(NEX150244)

2.0 PROBLEM STATEMENT

The activities carried out by the local people
cause river pollution. This studies is
important because we are indentifying the
activities and how does the activities can
lead to river contamination.

3.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

Enviromental Sustainability

Taylor (2002), in his critic of the UN definition argued that it is

often difficult to determine the future needs of people in the next
generation which may be different from the needs of people today. He
further added that the way the developed countries view the concept
of needs, is completely different from the views of that of the
developing countries. However, even though the UN definition of
sustainability may have raised some controversies, it still covers the
two fundamental issues the pressing problem of environmental
degradation that results from economic growth, and the need for such
growth to lighten poverty in the society. Barton (2000) and Du Plessis
(2000) present this as three interconnected sectors in a conceptual
model to describe the term sustainable development. These
interconnected sectors represent the Society, the Economy and the
Environment. Barton (2000) and Du Plessis (2000) maintain that,
there must be a reasonable level of balance of interactions amongst
these sectors for the world to achieve sustainable development.

Cameron Highlands Farmers

Most of the farmers and Orang Asli were resettled during

the 1950s to 1970s emergency to secure villages and the
restoration of order in the early 1970s was followed by a
growth of smallholders, mainly Malaysian Chinese. These
squatter smallholders developed a strategy of static
shifting cultivation, renewing the upper 15 cm of topsoil on
their plots at least once a year. This is environmentally
damaging, yielding sediment to streams in the area of
collection and when it is spread on plots, and discourages
good husbandry. Clearance was controlled by the 1990s by
issuing limited numbers of Temporary Occupation Licenses
(TOLs) and outlawing unauthorised land holdings.
Rerkasem (2005:297) estimated farmland in the Cameron
Highlands had expanded to 3327 ha by 1990. Hashim
(2002) recorded 2500 ha of vegetables (roughly half
cabbages) and 600 ha of flowers in a 2000 survey.

Tourism

Malaysian cities are growing and demand for recreational

visits to highland areas is expanding, tourism also generates
income from overseas visitors. Much of the tourism is day-visit
or short-stay, both lowspend, and it yields limited benefit for
agriculture or environmental management (Chan 2004). Longer
stay, higher-spend tourism, is mainly by golfers or trekkers.
Short-stay tourism is likely to expand with improved roads and
rising incomes. Agritourism (tourism combined with agriculture)
currently caters for day-visit/short-stay and takes the form of
roadside attractions like orchid, strawberry and honey roducers
and butterfly farms. There are limited opportunities for
expansion of these attractions because they saturate the
market and need to be near roads. Many farmers are located on
narrow and steep side tracks and often have poor English and
Bahasa Melayu which restricts them. Tea estates attract large
numbers of short-stay visitors and contribute to the promoted
image of the Cameron Highlands.

4.0 AIM

May the research helps to find out what is

the activities carried out by people and find
out if the activities affects the quantity,
quality, availability and sustainability of the
river.

5.0 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

1. To identify the activities carried out by
the society.
2. To examine whether the activities effects
the river in terms of quantity, quality,
availability and sustainability or not.

6.0 METHOD AND

TECHNIQUES

Observation
Questionnaire (interview with the farmers,
workers, and residents)
Take the river water sample (using certain
instruments to measure the quality of river
water)
Results and Interpretation
Primary
sources:
photos,
questionnaire
Secondary sources: journal, articles, previous
study cases, newspapers, library, online, official
website of JAS

7.0 STUDY REGION

ABOUT TRINGKAP

Tringkap is a small town in Cameron Highlands, Pahang,

Malaysia.
Tringkap is a new village with a population of more than
34000 people.
Almost 99% of the villagers in Tringkap are of Chinese
ethnicity, while the remaining 1% comprises of Malays.
It located 8km from Brinchang and just besides the famous
tea plantation, the Sungai Palas BOH Tea Plantation.
Amongst the famous spots are rose valley, bees farms,
vegetables farms and various stalls selling fresh
vegetables, flowers, honeys, strawberry and local products.

LOCATION OF
TRINGKAP

8.0 RESULT AND INTRPRETATION

Activities carried out by the local people:
o It is a farming enclave.
o It is a focal point for the growing of
vegetables.
o A high percentage of its crops are grown on
tiered terraces.
o The bulk of its produce is exported to
Singapore.
o Economic activities such as tourism and
agriculture.

Rapid developments such as agriculture, urbanization,

infrastructure development and deforestation in Tringkap
have contributed to severe upland soil erosion.
During heavy rainfall, the rivers have to accommodate high
amounts of eroded sediments coming from these sources.
Nutrients in fertilizers and manure that are carried by
surface water will over stimulate the rivers and lakes,
causing eutrophication.
Agricultural activities and settlements close to the river
banks are known to be one of the main contributors of the
increase in suspended solids, nutrients, sewage and
possibly, pesticides in the area.
Several farmers in Cameron Highlands use modern dripirrigation system inclusive of fertigation (fertilizer +
irrigation) and overhead sprinkler irrigation systems in the
open field.

The effects of the activities carried out by

the local people towards the river:

Workers settlements
channeled wastes into
the river directly

Fertilizers used in
agricultural activities

In conclusion, the studies that conducted at Tringkap is to

identify the activities performed by residents and the effect
on the environment. The study also include about the
settlement pattern of the population in the area. In this case
study, we focus about Quantity, Quality, Sustainability, and
Availability. We can see the agricultural activities impact on
the environment especially on Tringkap river. Evidence of
contamination can be seen in the picture. In addition, the
existence of squatter housing that is occupied by foreign
workers also cause river contamination. All waste from the
squatters are channelled directly into the Tringkap river. To
overcome this problem, the local authorities should monitor
the agricultural activities in the Tringkap area continuously.
This monitoring should take into account the farming system
undertaken, type of fertilizer, and agricultural waste should
be managed efficiently. Local authorities also should monitor
the existence of illegal settlements built by migrant workers
in the vicinity of the farm.

10.0 REFERENCES

Aminuddin, B.Y., Chow, W.T. & Ng. T.T. 1990. Resources and
problems associated with sustainable development in upland
areas in Malaysia. Blair, G. & Lefroy, R. (eds.). Technologies for
sustainable agriculture in marginal uplands in Southeast Asia: 5561. Proceedings No. 33 Australian Centre for International
Agricultural Research, Canberra.
Clarkson, J.D. 1968. The cultural ecology of a Chinese village:
Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. Department of Geography
Research Paper No. 114, University of Chicago, Chicago (IL).
Aminuddin, B.Y., Ghulam, M.H., Wan Abdullah, W.Y., Zulkefli, M. &
Salama, R.B. 2005. Sustainability of current agricultural practices
in the Cameron Highlands Malaysia. Water, Air and Soil Pollution:
Focus, 5(1-2): 89-101.
Chan, N.W. (ed.). 2006. Cameron Highlands: issues and challenges
in sustainable development. Penang: School of Humanities,
Universiti Sains Malaysia.