IPOH, Feb 15 — Perak Education, Science, Environment, Green Technology and Information Committee chairman Abdul Aziz Bari today said the state exco did not discuss logging activity near the Orang Asli settlement in Kampung Tasik Cunex, Gerik.

"As far as I can remember there has been no discussion on logging. Matters discussed in exco meeting are covered by the Official Secrets Act and all members of the state Cabinet are bound by it.

"The issue may have been dealt with by a committee, but that is separate. Such is not part of what is known as collective responsibility that binds all members of the exco,” he told Malay Mail.

The Tebing Tinggi assemblyman was responding to Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, who yesterday said that Aziz Bari might not know how the state government approves timber concessions.

Ahmad Faizal also said the approval was made via a Forestry Committee, which only includes two state executive councillors, namely Paul Yong and Asmuni Awi.

Ahmad Faizal also said he had explained the procedure to other exco members during their meeting.

Aziz Bari said he publicised the issue as certain documents on the matter have been leaked and circulated in the social media.

"I came out publicly on the matter as I’ve been asked about it and certain leaked documents had been made viral,” he said.

"However, I would like to thank the mentri besar for confirming my ignorance over logging issues and procedures,” he added.

Last week, Free Malaysia Today reported that Aziz Bari did not know how the timber concession was approved despite him being in charge of the environment committee.

The issue of logging erupted after the Orang Asli community in Kampung Cunex lodged a police report after being allegedly threatened by Forestry Department officers for creating a blockade to prevent logging activity from destroying 80ha of land, which also involves their ancestral land and settlements earlier this month.

State Forestry Department director Datuk Mohamed Zin Yusop denied that the department had threatened the Orang Asli.

Mohamed Zin also said that the logging activities were only approved in the area of the Air Chepam Forest Reserve and not in the Orang Asli ancestral land as claimed by the community.