MalaysiaGIS.com

I read with amusement and sadness (NST, Nov 21) the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment stating that poor weather had hampered the detection by the TiungSAT-1 micro-satellite of the alleged 1.74 hectares illegally cleared on Cameron Highlands.

Just a few days earlier, the NST reported that the ministry was proud (so were many Malaysians) of the capability of TiungSAT-1 to monitor Malaysian environment in all weather conditions.

It is ironical that now they are attributing poor weather conditions for hampering TiungSAT's ability to provide information on illegal land clearing at Camerons.

The poor Minister concerned has been ill advised to issue such a statement and, to me, it represented a slap to all those who understand TiungSAT-1 capabilities.

The purpose of this letter is to inform the Ministry not to take the Malaysian public as fools on science and engineering matters. Today, there are many Malaysians who know about remote sensing techniques. Remote sensing modules are taught in many local universities.

I would like to state that microwave remote sensing techniques is not a new technology and there are already a few satellites currently orbiting the earth using such technology to monitor land use and ocean phenomena.

The Singapore National University has already an operational receiver of 18-meter diameter to receive microwave imageries from one such satellite for the past four years, and I believe the Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency (Macres) has a receiver in Malaysia to receive imageries from the same microwave satellite.

Many local universities have purchased such imageries for research and consultancy. There are ample opportunities, even with TiungSAT-1, on improving sensor capabilities and the information for the achived data.

In order to detect changes in land use at a particular place, there must be repeat imageries over a certain time interval at the same wave satellites have been set in orbits such that they scan the same site at intervals of about a week.

Thus, if there have been land clearings at a particular site during the interval, the imageries obtained before and those after the land clearing activities would show the difference in the land environment (provided the land cleared is of a large area of about one hectare).

TiungSAT-1 was just launched and it has not captured sufficient imageries at Cameron Highlands (remember that the satellite can only yield about four imageries at the same place in a month) to make comparison of land use over the last few months to confirm if there has been clearing of that 1.74ha.

Thus, TiungSAT should not be referred to at this stage to be able to provide information of change in landscape. Period. Agencies such as Macres could have been asked to source the microwave-derived imageries, before any Press statements are issued. If there have been problems with TiungSAT, let it be known, rather than state TiungSAT's capabilities have been affected by weather.

TKL
Kuala Lumpur