🌿 Prayer: R2 — Righteousness & Restoration in Kinta Valley
O Creator of Heaven and Earth,
天地的创造主啊，
Ya Pencipta Langit dan Bumi,
You who shaped the mountains and breathed life into the valleys —
祢创造群山，赐生命于山谷——
Engkau yang membentuk gunung-gunung dan menghembuskan kehidupan ke dalam lembah-lembah —
teach us the way of righteousness, to live rightly —
教导我们公义之道，正直而行——
ajarilah kami jalan kebenaran, untuk hidup dengan benar —
in integrity with ourselves, in justice with one another, and in harmony with the Earth that sustains us.
在自我中保持诚信，在彼此间行公义，并与滋养我们的地球和谐共生。
dalam kejujuran terhadap diri sendiri, dalam keadilan terhadap sesama, dan dalam keharmonian dengan bumi yang memelihara kami.
Grant the land and environment authorities and developers wisdom to build not merely with stone and steel, but with compassion and care.
求祢赐智慧给土地与环境的主管部门及开发者，使他们建造的不只是石与钢，更有怜悯与关怀。
Kurniakanlah kebijaksanaan kepada pihak berkuasa tanah dan alam sekitar serta para pemaju, agar mereka membina bukan hanya dengan batu dan keluli, tetapi dengan belas kasihan dan keprihatinan.
Let their work restore balance — between progress and preservation, between economy and ecology, between humanity and habitat.
愿他们的工作带来平衡——在发展与保育之间，在经济与生态之间，在人类与生境之间。
Biarlah kerja mereka memulihkan keseimbangan — antara kemajuan dan pemeliharaan, antara ekonomi dan ekologi, antara kemanusiaan dan habitat.
We lift up the Kinta Valley, whose history is written in its hills and waters — from the deep mining lakes to the limestone cliffs now scarred by time and toil.
我们为近打谷祈祷，它的历史刻印在群山与湖水之间——从深邃的矿湖到被岁月与劳作刻痕的石灰岩峭壁。
Kami berdoa untuk Lembah Kinta, yang sejarahnya tertulis pada bukit-bukit dan tasik-tasiknya — dari lombong dalam yang kini menjadi tasik, hingga ke tebing batu kapur yang terukir oleh masa dan tenaga.
May the call to “build the old wastes” awaken humanity to heal what has been broken, to restore what has been lost, and to renew the beauty once declared good.
愿那“重建荒废之地”的呼召，唤醒人心去医治破碎，恢复失落，并更新那曾被称为美好的大地。
Semoga seruan untuk “membangunkan tanah yang tandus” membangkitkan manusia untuk menyembuhkan yang telah rosak, memulihkan yang telah hilang, dan memperbaharui keindahan yang pernah diisytiharkan baik.
Let the land be refreshed, the waters run clear, the creatures find refuge, and the people dwell in peace.
愿大地得以更新，清泉再次流淌，生灵得安居，人民享平安。
Semoga bumi diperbaharui, air mengalir jernih, hidupan menemukan tempat berlindung, dan manusia hidup dalam kedamaian.
🌏 Voice of Conservation
In my journey of learning through the Facebook community, the images shared by Kinta Valley Watch were deeply awakening — a visual call to gather the voices of conservation.
Yet, the very word “Watch” reminds us of the need to extend our sight — to pray and hope for the best intentions and wisdom of the Perak government, industrial, and land developers, toward an integrated master plan that ensures sustainability in natural resource extraction alongside industrial and economic growth.
In the past, it was the mines — and now, it is the mountains.
Below, there seem to be a lack of authoritative news in 2025 regarding calls for environmental protection. It’s uncertain whether this is due to limited communication within digital archives (AI-accessible sources)— or if the voices and efforts advocating for the environment have simply diminished.
However, if Kinta Valley can be rebuilt from the remnants of its mining past, there is hope in the future — the inherited wisdom of many builders — to heal and restore Kinta Valley.
Kinta Valley: From mined wastelands to recreational lakes — may the mountains find healing next.
⚖️ Kinta Valley Quarrying: Recent Developments (2020-2024)
1. Calls for Protection & Conservation
Gunung Kanthan Concerns:
Gunung Kanthan remains a major concern among environmentalists as it houses endangered species and a century-old Dhamma Sakyamuni Cave Monastery. Conservationists have warned that quarry expansion could threaten its ecological and cultural heritage.
👉 Read more: New Straits Times – “Preserved by a century-old monastery…” (12 Sept 2023)
Geopark Status & Protection:
Conservation groups have urged authorities to safeguard Kinta Valley’s limestone hills — including Gunung Kanthan — to maintain its National Geopark status and prevent irreversible environmental loss.
👉 Read more: New Straits Times – “Conservationists call for greater protection of Kinta Valley limestone” (12 Nov 2020)
Call for Government Accountability:
Environmental advocates have criticized authorities for permitting quarrying on iconic limestone hills despite the availability of more sustainable methods such as subsurface quarrying.
👉 Read more: The Star – “Conservation group suggests underground mining to preserve Perak’s hills” (29 Dec 2020)
2. Alternatives & Sustainable Practices
Subsurface Quarrying Feasibility:
Studies and conservation groups continue to highlight subsurface (underground) limestone quarrying as a potential alternative to reduce surface damage and preserve natural landscapes.
👉 Read more: The Star – “Conservation group suggests underground mining to preserve Perak’s hills” (29 Dec 2020)
Perak Mineral Policy – Rehabilitation Focus:
The Perak State Government amended its Mineral Policy requiring quarry operators to submit rehabilitation plans and contribute to a restoration fund.
👉 Read more: The Star – “Quarry operators must plan for environmental rehab after Perak amends policy” (10 Feb 2021)
3. Government & Industry Action
(a) Enforcement & Regulation:
Perak reaffirmed that all quarry blasting activities must follow strict safety and environmental guidelines — including certified blasters, tremor monitoring, and JMG oversight.
👉 Read more: Malay Mail – “Perak strict on quarry blasting regulations, official tells state assembly” (26 Feb 2024)
(b) Temporary Quarry Halts:
The state temporarily halted a quarry in Sungai Siput after pollution complaints from nearby Orang Asli communities, citing the need for environmental remediation.
👉 Read more: Malay Mail – “Perak MB Inc halts quarry operation over water pollution in Orang Asli settlement” (20 Jan 2024)
(c) Quarry Rehabilitation & Tourism Integration:
A former mining site in Tanjung Tualang has been transformed into a nature-themed adventure park, reflecting Perak’s move toward rehabilitation and sustainable tourism.
👉 Read more: The Star – “Perak’s latest tourism product an adventure-themed park on former mining site” (24 Feb 2024)
(d) Monitoring of Slope Risks:
The Perak Department of Minerals and Geosciences identified 18 out of 25 critical slopes in the state at high risk of landslides, many overlapping with Kinta Valley limestone hills.
👉 Read more: Business Today Malaysia – “18 critical slopes in Perak at risk of landslides” (28 Aug 2024)
(e) Replacement of Quarry-Affected Forests:
Land used for quarrying in the Segari Melintang Forest Reserve was replaced with a larger 1,000-hectare area in Hulu Perak, a move by the state to maintain forest coverage.
👉 Read more: Malay Mail – “Segari Melintang forest land replaced with larger reserve in Hulu Perak” (3 Dec 2024)
(f) Gunung Lanno & Rehabilitation Policy Drafting:
The Perak government is developing a quarry rehabilitation policy covering Gunung Lanno, Gunung Rapat, and Gunung Terundum, emphasizing balanced development under the Batu Gajah Local Plan 2025.
👉 Read more: Sinar Harian – “Kerajaan Perak gubal dasar pulih kawasan kuari Gunung Lanno” (22 Mar 2024)
(g) Land & Access Disputes in Kanthan:
Local farmers in Kanthan reported being blocked from their farmland after a new access gate was installed by the state development agency (PKNP).
👉 Read more: Malaysiakini – “Kanthan farmers cry foul over land access block” (Jun 2024)