Husam Musa said most of the logging in the Nenggiri permanent forest reserve in Gua Musang involved merbau trees, which are valued at RM4,000 per log. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: Amanah’s Husam Musa has urged the PAS-led Kelantan state government to act on reports of logging in the Nenggiri permanent forest reserve in Gua Musang.
The former PAS leader said state forestry department officials had lodged a police report over the allegations on June 2.
“This issue was raised two weeks ago but no clear response has been provided by the state government until today despite the company involved in the alleged logging being a government subsidiary,” he told FMT.
Husam said the area concerned spanned 292ha of special forest reserve, gazetted as virgin jungle under the National Forestry Act 1984.
“It should not be touched or disturbed at all. It should be preserved completely,” he said. “Yet, the Kelantan government has approved clear felling in the area.”
He added that the state forestry department had discovered illegal logging activities at multiple areas within the reserve.
Husam said most of the logging involved merbau trees, which are valued at RM4,000 per log. He estimated that the illegal logging activities involved RM7 million in profits.
He called on the state government to immediately come forward with a clear explanation as it was an environmental issue of grave concern.
Nenggiri is also facing the construction of a RM5 billion hydroelectric power plant, which local Orang Asli villagers have protested for fear of losing their ancestral land.
The villagers are concerned the dam, slated to be developed at Mukim Ulu Nenggiri, would submerge four Orang Asli settlements as well as inundate 5,384ha of forest land, Malaysiakini reported.
One hundred villagers submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday amid their concerns, while Tenaga Nasional Berhad vowed to address the issues raised.
PETALING JAYA: Amanah’s Husam Musa has urged the PAS-led Kelantan state government to act on reports of logging in the Nenggiri permanent forest reserve in Gua Musang.
The former PAS leader said state forestry department officials had lodged a police report over the allegations on June 2.
“This issue was raised two weeks ago but no clear response has been provided by the state government until today despite the company involved in the alleged logging being a government subsidiary,” he told FMT.
Husam said the area concerned spanned 292ha of special forest reserve, gazetted as virgin jungle under the National Forestry Act 1984.
“It should not be touched or disturbed at all. It should be preserved completely,” he said. “Yet, the Kelantan government has approved clear felling in the area.”
He added that the state forestry department had discovered illegal logging activities at multiple areas within the reserve.
Husam said most of the logging involved merbau trees, which are valued at RM4,000 per log. He estimated that the illegal logging activities involved RM7 million in profits.
He called on the state government to immediately come forward with a clear explanation as it was an environmental issue of grave concern.
Nenggiri is also facing the construction of a RM5 billion hydroelectric power plant, which local Orang Asli villagers have protested for fear of losing their ancestral land.
The villagers are concerned the dam, slated to be developed at Mukim Ulu Nenggiri, would submerge four Orang Asli settlements as well as inundate 5,384ha of forest land, Malaysiakini reported.
One hundred villagers submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday amid their concerns, while Tenaga Nasional Berhad vowed to address the issues raised.
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