Logging in Kedah will continue for next 18 years, says MB
Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor says Kedah will have to spend RM1 billion in compensation if it were to withdraw timber concessions. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: Logging in Kedah is expected to continue for the next 18 years as the state government will lose RM1 billion in compensation if it were to withdraw concessions awarded by previous state governments, says menteri besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.
He said the current administration has not given any new approvals so far and those against logging must understand that licences for all current activities were awarded by past governments.
“However, environment advocates must also realise that some sections of Kedah’s forests are aged and teetering on the brink of falling. The forestry department will mark these areas for logging so that it could bring revenue to the state.
“The best we can do is to save water catchment areas in the state, with close monitoring by the department. The government will never support indiscriminate logging as alleged by some quarters,” he was quoted as saying by Utusan Malaysia today.
But for now, he said, the scene of lorries plying logs in the state has to be accepted and they will be there until “doomsday” as a result of the logging activities.
On July 1, 2019, Kedah gazetted 106,418ha of Ulu Muda forest land as a permanent reserve forest, according to a parliamentary reply. It was reported that Kedah lost close to RM200 million after parts of these forests were made inaccessible to loggers.
After the PAS-led government took over last year, Sanusi said his administration has no choice but to offer “replacement forests” to licensed loggers as it would have to pay a RM1 billion compensation otherwise.
This was after the Ulu Muda forest was turned into a water catchment area that affected 40 concession holders.
He said the current administration has not given any new approvals so far and those against logging must understand that licences for all current activities were awarded by past governments.
“However, environment advocates must also realise that some sections of Kedah’s forests are aged and teetering on the brink of falling. The forestry department will mark these areas for logging so that it could bring revenue to the state.
“The best we can do is to save water catchment areas in the state, with close monitoring by the department. The government will never support indiscriminate logging as alleged by some quarters,” he was quoted as saying by Utusan Malaysia today.
But for now, he said, the scene of lorries plying logs in the state has to be accepted and they will be there until “doomsday” as a result of the logging activities.
On July 1, 2019, Kedah gazetted 106,418ha of Ulu Muda forest land as a permanent reserve forest, according to a parliamentary reply. It was reported that Kedah lost close to RM200 million after parts of these forests were made inaccessible to loggers.
After the PAS-led government took over last year, Sanusi said his administration has no choice but to offer “replacement forests” to licensed loggers as it would have to pay a RM1 billion compensation otherwise.
This was after the Ulu Muda forest was turned into a water catchment area that affected 40 concession holders.
islamist tongue is as agile as communist tongue, no wonder that woman in tudung fall for it.
ReplyDeletedifferent PAS kerbau-er, wakakaka
DeleteWakakakakaka…
DeleteAgile tongue?
Look no further from those 台毒 dickheads u consisyently supported. Those tongues r filled with evil lies while yrs is forked with contemptuous poison!
taiwanese tongue is now all fangfang, thats what we call freedom to tell truth.
DeleteIndeed, Taiwanese tongues r now all fangfang in reverse!
DeleteThat's WHY the unfortunate covid incident of that 4-member family in New Taipei City!
Freedom to tell lies!
A forest can age...?
ReplyDeletethat's why he is a kerbau gemok
DeleteBut this Sanusi MB say Kedah will be getting 62 billion from mining rare earth, like Lynas. Gali here gali there korek here korek there, even in Ulu Muda forest. So What is 1 billion compensation?
ReplyDeleteQUOTE
Kedah to tap into RM62 billion worth of rare earth element
Predeep Nambiar
December 3, 2020
ALOR SETAR: Kedah yesterday announced an agreement with a Kuala Lumpur-based joint venture company to mine for a rare earth element (REE) said to be found in abundance in parts of the state.
The deal with the company, which is believed to have an international partner, will allow it to extract the mineral that Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said could be worth up to RM62 billion.
“This mineral is Allah’s gift to us in Kedah. Such a find would change the lives of our people forever.
“The REE was not radioactive and was found in Sik, Ulu Muda and Baling, and I hear in some parts of Lenggong, Perak too. It has been common knowledge to geologists for the past 20 years,” he said in a press conference here yesterday.
According to Sanusi, the deal between the state government and the company was signed last week but he declined to name the mineral nor the name of the company involved.
He said the KL company would not be carrying out any mining, but small pipes would be used to extract the mineral.
“Once the company discovers the mineral, they are to declare it to us. They will be boring tiny pipes in certain areas in their search,” he said.
Separately, Sanusi hoped that the federal government would change its policy on minerals, where the resources would be made to enrich locals, instead of outsiders reaping its benefit.
UNQUOTE
"We had to cut down the forest in order to to save it"....... wakakakaka
ReplyDelete