PUTRAJAYA, Sept 30 — Natural Resource and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has denied that permanent forest reserves in Kelantan had been cleared as had been reported.

“The Kelantan Forestry Department is actively monitoring developments on this issue,” he said in a statement today to comment on the claim that 7,248 hectares out of more than 600,000 hectares of permanent forest reserves had been illegally exploited throughout Kelantan since the 1980’s.

The area was exploited by hard-core settlers who had cultivated agricultural crops and new settlers who tried to continue the illegal exploitation of the forest.

Wan Junaidi meanwhile said that preserving the forest was the responsibility of everyone and not that of the government alone.

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He said the forest had various functions because it represented a source of water supply and had biological diversity which formed the thrust to livelihood.

“It is time for us to diversify the functions of the forest other than for logging alone.

“We can turn the forest into an eco-tourism destination which can help the community to appreciate our rich forest,” he added. — Bernama

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