IPOH, Feb 14 — Perak state executive councillor Abdul Aziz Bari might not have experience on how the state government approves timber concessions, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said today.
“Not only him, but also a few other exco members were not in the Forestry Committee, in which the timber concession near the Orang Asli settlement in Kampung Tasik Cunex, Gerik was sanctioned.
“However, I have explained about this matter in the exco meeting and I believe they are clear over the procedure now,” he told reporters at his office in State Secretariat Building here.
Ahmad Faizal also added that sanctioning timber concessions via the Forestry Committee has been the practice in the state since Independence.
This came after Abdul Aziz last week told Free Malaysia Today that he did not know how the timber concession was approved despite him being in charge of the environment.
The state Education, Science, Environment, Green Technology and Information Committee chairman also said that logging activities will change the whole environment of a place.
Ahmad Faizal said that they are finding ways to log in a sustainable way and at the same time curb illegal logging activities around the state.
Ahmad Faizal said that the Forestry Committee, which is chaired by him, consists of five members, including the Forestry Department director, his deputy and two state executive councillors Paul Yong and Asmuni Awi.
Previously, Malay Mail reported Ahmad Faizal as saying protests against logging activities near the Orang Asli settlement in Gerik will only hurt the timber industry.
He urged protestors to reconsider their actions, as the timber industry needs adequate resources which can only be obtained via logging.
