Environment friendly practices: a study of environmental knowledge in Sabah and Sarawak

Since 1980s Malaysia has been actively involved in environmental issues. Malaysia is also fortunate to be surrounded with beautiful rainforest especially in the region of Sabah and Sarawak. According to Malaysian Timber Council report, the size of Malaysian rainforest is 5.88 million hector in Peninsular Malaysia, 4.30 million hector in Sabah and 9.24 million hector in Sarawak. The huge size of rainforest in Sabah and Sarawak becomes one of the important indicators that prove Malaysia as a country that preserves its environment. The objective of this research is to gauge the environmental knowledge of Malaysian living in Sabah and Sarawak, to analyse the relationship between knowledge, behaviour and practice towards the environment. A total of 550 respondents from many different district in Sabah and 550 respondent from Sarawak correspond. Finding shows although the general knowledge on environment is high, they are still low in terms of the detail aspect of environmental knowledge. The main sources of information are from television, newspapers and radio. Research findings also indicate that there is significant relation between environmental friendly behaviour and practices