IPOH, Feb 19 — Perak should hold public consultations like Selangor when planning to remove forest reserve status from any land, said Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam (Kuasa) president Hafizudin Nasarudin.
“We hope the state would be transparent on timber projects. Inform early to avoid conflicts,” he said after meeting Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu with a Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) representative today.
He said the lack of information now led to conflict and urged the state government to engage more with conservation groups.
Hafizudin also said that during the meeting, the group also urged the state to move away from logging and adopt sustainability.
A Pakatan Harapan lawmaker previously lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to demand the state explain why it awarded a 400-hectare land concession to a newly-formed private company.
The private company is said to have been awarded concession of two forest reserves, namely Kledang Saiong and Bukit Kinta for forest farming development projects.
