IPOH, March 13 — The forest farm development project at the Kledang Saiong and Bukit Kiara Forest Reserves is still on, Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said today.

The Perak Mentri Besar said no agreement had been signed between the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) and the concessionaire as approval for the forest reserves had just been given to the concessionaire.

“What I said previously was from information given to me. Other than that, I do not have additional information on what is the status of discussions between the concessionaire and MTIB,” he said.

“But I was told they (concessionaire) plan to replant the trees (in the forest reserves) with MTIB. Wong Tack (MTIB chairman) said there was no agreement yet but I believe there is no agreement as the approval had just been given so it takes time,” he added.

Advertisement

Ahmad Faizal said even if the concessionaire does not carry out the project with MTIB, it could still continue with other parties.

“The company could even carry on the project by themselves,” he said.

Ahmad Faizal said the concessionaire was not talking to Wong.

Advertisement

“They are talking to the officers I presume. It is just like discussions in the state Economic Planning Unit, I will not know. I would not know what they discuss at the ground but to my knowledge they are,” he said, pointing out the two directors of the concessionaire were former MTIB officers.

“I am sure they have contacts and friends,” he added.

Malay Mail had previously reported Ahmad Faizal as saying that the company which had applied for the forest farming development had been screened by the Forestry Department.

Ahmad Faizal said the company would be cooperating with MTIB to develop the 400ha of land, which was identified as secondary forest.

Wong then joined the fray when he said the approval was given by the Perak state government and not by MTIB nor its subsidiary Forest Plantation Development Sdn Bhd (FFDSB).

The controversy erupted when DAP’s Kampar MP Thomas Su lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over the state government’s decision to award the concession to the then five-month-old company which initially had a paid-up capital of just RM2 that was formed after the 14th general election.

The company now has RM500,000 paid up capital.