Batang Padang, Perak is a hotspot of pangolin poaching. Due to illegal hunting of pangolins, the number of pangolins is diminishing in Batang Padang. Lacking these termites-eating pangolins in the forest, termite mounts have been seen increasing in number in the forest and silviculture areas in Batang Padang. Termite damage has caused a significant economic damage to the local community. The situation is made worse by lacking conservation awareness program on pangolins in Batang Padang. The Aborigine Welfare Society of Batang Padang is seeking for a preventive measure to overcome this issue to improve the welfare and livelihood of the Semai community in harmony with the environment. The local community wishes to have Semai conservation leaders to lead them in pangolin conservation. Till date, there isn?t any established capacity building program related to pangolin conservation training to the community. This will be our first initiative to develop the conservation education manual in Semai language to empower the Semai youth leaders in conserving pangolins efforts and their culture, and to strengthen the competency of Semai people in a more diverse social economic development. The whole program consists of two components. The first component strengthens the conservation effort in pangolin conservation while the second component focuses on the empowerment of economic competency of the Semai community in Batang Padang. At the end of the project, competent Semai leaders in pangolin conservation, handicraft making, quality forest products production will be accomplished as well as ecotourism effort will be initiated to enhance the livelihood of Semai community in Batang Padang. A manual on pangolin conservation education in Semai language and student wildlife conservation club will be established for sustainable conservation of pangolin. A PEROABP pangolin conservation unit will be established by imposing the concept of OECM.

1. Practical Conservation Effort to reduce Pangolin Poaching

Semai people reply on the forest products for their living. They have a great range of products such as durian, petai, larah, jering, rambai, cempu and handicrafts which are famous in Cameron Highlands. These products become must-have products to tourists in Tapah and Cameron Highlands. According to PEROABP, Semai bamboo and rattan were once popular for furniture manufacturing. However, due to overharvesting of bamboo and rattan in the forest at Batang Padang, both resources are under treat of disappearing and have become protected species in Batang Padang. Poaching of wild animals has become easy income to the local community. Batang Padang is a hotspot of pangolin poaching. It is carried out by the people living in and outside the community. The number of pangolins is declining in Batang Padang. PEROABP is concerning the declining of pangolins, which is the natural enemies of termites in the forest, may affect the production of forest products. According to the perception study done in 2018, a total of 51% respondent found that the pangolins conservation is very important, and 44% respondent wish to protect pangolins and its habitat. Thus, PEROABP has raised up this issue during the workshop on Community-based Conservation Action Plan of Sunda Pangolins in Batang Padang on 25-27 March 2019 at Institute for Biodiversity (IBD), Lanchang. They wish to strengthen their conservation knowledge and skill in reducing pangolin poaching in their forest. The following actions are proposed to address the problems of the proposed project:

i. Development of creative pangolin conservation educational materials in Semai language
Semai language is the common language used in the local community. In order to encourage more Semai people to join our pangolin conservation program, the Semai schoolteachers and wildlife conservation leaders will be engaged to design and develop the pangolin conservation education program in Semai language as well as the creative educational tools and materials for pangolin conservation.

ii. Competency training in conservation of pangolin
The manual developed will be used to deliver the knowledge and hands-on experience in field work to enhance the pangolins conservation planning.

iii. Strengthen the pangolin conservation effort in forest monitoring
Batu 7 to Batu 14 have been identified by Semai leaders as conservation site for pangolins in Batang Padang. A close collaboration with PERHILITAN and Forestry Department is needed to manage in patrolling, recording and reporting poaching activities within the studied site. A PEROABP pangolin conservation unit will be formed.

iv. Sustainability of pangolin conservation education
A manual as a guideline for pangolin conservation leaders will be established and proposed as co-curriculum teaching materials to Semai schools within the study site through the Educational District Department and JAKOA. To sustain the pangolin conservation effort, a wildlife conservation club will be formed in Semai school within Batang Padang.

At the end of the program, we hope to produce competent Semai leaders in pangolin conservation and a manual on pangolin conservation education in Semai language, as well as establishing student wildlife conservation club and a PEROABP pangolin conservation unit.


2. Empower Economic Competency of Semai Community

Apart from stopping the poaching activities in the Semai community, we encourage Semai people to establish other opportunities to improve their livelihood. The existing forest fruits such as durian, petai, larah, jering, rambai and cempu have received a high demand due to their appealing texture and flavor. However, these fruits are limited to nearby markets and hardly to be seen in big cities. The potential market for these fruits is high outside Batang Padang. To ensure a sustainable supply of these fruits in the market, the quality of forest fruits must be maintained, and a proper planning and marketing strategy is needed. Beside the forest fruits, Semai handmade handicrafts such as basket, pouches, mats, bubu, pensol nose flutes and jewelry are popular in the souvenir shops in Tapah and Cameron Highlands. The Semai women are good in handicrafts making. These handicrafts production is carried out in small scale and handled by women in their 30s and above. The number of Semai art guru in Batang Padang is small and cannot cope with high demand if the handicrafts are to be commercialized in large scale. To fulfill the market needs, many handicrafts are imported from Indonesia. Sooner or later, Indonesian handicrafts will take over the local market and there will be a great loss of the Semai art heritage in Malaysia. PEROABP has raised up the issue on the livelihood of poacher in particular during the workshop on Community-based Conservation Action Plan of Sunda Pangolins in Batang Padang on 25-27 March 2019 at Institute for Biodiversity (IBD), Lanchang. They wish to sustain their forest products and art culture for better livelihood. The following actions are proposed to address the problems of the proposed project:

i. Documentation of Semai forest products and arts
A range of forest products and art culture of Semai at Batang Padang will be documented. This data will be useful for the conservation strategy and marketing planning to improve the livelihood of Semai community.

ii. Upskilling of quality forest product, product branding and marketing
UPM experts will be engaged to deliver knowledge and hands-on experience in forest pest and disease control to enhance the quality of forest products for sustainable supply in the market. Basic knowledge in product branding, business planning, personal financial planning and online marketing will be provided. Government sector and private corporate will be engaged to promote the forest products.

iii. Upskilling of Semai handicrafts production and business marketing
In the effort to encourage more Semai women and youths in handicrafts making, Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation will be engaged to enhance their skill in handicrafts production, marketing and promotion.

iv. Entrepreneurship training in ecotourism
In the effort to empower the economic competency among Semai community, ecotourism will be a good platform to present the Semai culture and products. Nature guide training will be conducted by PERHILITAN while the homestay program will be engaged with Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board and JAKOA. The homestay program will emphasize on the pangolin conservation elements and utilization of available resources of the Semai village, the conservation and maintenance of socio-cultural and artistic customs of the village and also highlights the uniqueness of the Semai village life.

v. Short videos for promoting Semai community & pangolin conservation
A visual documentary on Semai culture and Pangolins conservation will be produced at the end of project. It comprises of 4 topics of 30 seconds short video each to document the Semai art, Semai culture & food, Semai & Pangolin Conservation, and Semai forest products generated from this project for publicity.

vi. Project assessment
Perception study will be conducted during pre- and post- project to measure the impact of this project to Semai community.

At the end of the program, a virtual documentation on Semai forest products and art will be produced, women and youths will be upskilled in handicraft production, ecotourism operators will be identified, and competence Semai people in nature guide, finance, bookkeeping and business planning will be produced. According to the perception study conducted in 2018, about 42% Semai people earn less than RM500 per month. We hope that this program will be able to increase the income of Semai people at Batang Padang.