IPOH, Jan 8 — The state government has directed the firm it approved for a monoculture development project in the Bukit Kinta Forest Reserve to propose an alternative site, the Perak Mentri Besar’s Office said today.
It also acknowledged the memorandum submitted to oppose the forest farming.
“We have requested the relevant company to submit a new proposal for a different area after a check by the State Forestry Department showed that the previous area is not suitable for forest farming,” it said in a statement.
It also said the approval granted to the company for the forest farming project in the Bukit Kinta Forest Reserve was conditional to checks by the Forestry Department and a full environmental impact assessment.
“The state government is always concerned about the impact of a development project on the environment and the surrounding community.
“Final approval of a project proposal will only be given if all the rules and guidelines set by the relevant agencies are followed,” it said.
The statement also said that the Perak Pakatan Harapan government has reduced nearly half of the 61,189 hectares of Forest Farm Development Zone approved by the previous administration.
“This Forest Farm Development Zone approval was issued by the National Land Council in 2012 and out of 439,000 hectares approved nationwide, 100,000 hectares are located in the state’s forest reserves.
“Of these, only 7,828 hectares have been cultivated while the rest is still in process such as the preparation of the EIA report and the Forest Management Plan,” the statement read.
“All applications must go through a government-mandated process. The State Forestry Department has also commenced efforts to improve the Forestry Development Standard Standard Operating Procedure” the statement further read.
Earlier, around 30 Orang Asli representatives from various villages around Perak joined environmental groups to urge the Perak government to reject a proposal for monoculture development (forest farming) in the state’s permanent forest reserves.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia field officer Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman said monoculture development would not only hurt the livelihood of the Orang Asli but also the nature and wildlife in the forest reserve.
Meor said that among the forests that would be affected by the proposal are Ijok Forest Reserve, Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve, Bintang Hijau Forest Reserve, Bukit Kinta Forest Reserve, Korbu Forest Reserve and Piah Forest Reserve.
A memorandum opposing forest farming in the state was also delivered to the mentri besar’s special officer Mohd Jaffery Mohd Zainol during the gathering held in front of the State Secretariat Building.
