Environmental group lodges report on illegal clearing of mangrove forest

Peka also claimed an illegally built temple also stands at a cleared portion of the 20ha mangrove forest in Batu Maung, Penang. PIX from Peka’s report to MACC.

GEORGE TOWN: An environmental group has submitted a report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on the recent illegal clearing of a protected mangrove forest in Penang.

Peka president Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil said the group filed the report at MACC’s office in Putrajaya yesterday afternoon.

She urged MACC to take action against the culprits whom she said had destroyed part of 0.4% of the mangrove lands left in the world.

The cleared area was part of a larger 20ha mangrove forest in the custody of the Fisheries Department and under the ownership of the Federal Land Commissioner.

Later, it was discovered that a 2ha piece of land was rented out to a third party via the directorate-general of Land and Mines (JKPTG).

Peka said the cleared area was at least 4ha and home to “high-value” mangroves. It mentioned another area cleared in the northeastern part of the forest that was being used to dump construction waste. A Hindu temple had also been illegally built on the cleared land, Peka said.

Under environmental laws, such clearing of mangrove land requires a detailed environmental impact assessment and subsequent approval from the Department of Environment, it said.

The Penang Island City Council issued a stop-work order to the landowners after a state exco man blew the whistle on the illegal clearing of the land. - FMT