KUALA LUMPUR - The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has criticised the move by the Pahang government to clear the Lesong forest, calling for the nation’s jungles to be protected.
“Rampant destruction of forests can damage the ecosystem,” said Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel.
“It is not a good move to clear vast areas of the Lesong permanent reserve forest,” he said in a statement here yesterday.
He was commenting on a report in The Star that up to 3,000ha of permanent reserve forests in the heart of Pahang – the size of Cyberjaya – had been logged up to July this year.
They formed part of a larger area spanning some 16,896ha, which Pahang considered to be “degraded forest”.
As such, the state has decided to designate this land as timber plantation areas, which could be replanted with commercial timber species, such as timber latex clones (or rubberwood) in the future.
Palanivel, however, said the protection of Pahang’s forests and their respective biodiversity should have been the state government’s priority.
“The Pahang government is expected to adhere to related procedures and laws to protect the state’s permanent reserve forests,” he said.
“Failure to do so will cause an immense impact on the wildlife and its environment,” Palanivel said.
The minister advised the state government to take necessary actions to prevent what he called, “the rampant clearing of permanent reserve forests”.
Palanivel said it was important for all segments of society to protect the country’s forests and its wildlife, too. -ANN
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