The country's development is definitely taking a toll on its environment. The massive landslip on January 6, 1996, along the North-South highway between Tapah and -Gopeng, before Ipoh, the statq capital of Perak, was one among many others that point to a lack of environmental concern. As many as 29 major landslips occured last year in 'several places along the North-South highway between Johore Bahru in the South and Bukit Kayu Hitam, near the Thai border. There were 176 landslips in the Camero 'n highlands along Malaysia's central mountain range. Penang island witnessed 172 landslips within a month. These figures merely depict the tip of the iceberg, as numerous other not so major landslips occur regularly throughout the country. These disasters have vindicated what the environmentalists have long been portending. In the race to become an industrialised nation, environmental guidelines are being easily brushed aside.
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