Former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir has accused the PAS-led Kedah government of trying to justify the reviving of logging concessions in environmentally sensitive areas by claiming that the state government was facing RM1 billion in compensation demands from logging companies that had their concession cancelled and suspended by the previous Pakatan Harapan-led government.
Mukhriz said under his leadership during the Harapan government, the companies had agreed to a compromise solution where those that were granted logging concession near the water reservoir within the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve are required to identify an alternative compartment for logging.
He added the logging companies that have not paid their premium in full must do so or have their concession cancelled. The logging suspension was made in March 2019.
He said the logging concession had been granted since PAS was in power in Kedah from 2008 to 2013.
"I would like to state that no company, be it individually or collectively, had demanded compensation from the Kedah government of up to RM1 billion.
"This is a lie intended to justify the decision to approve concessions," he said in a statement.
He said all outstanding issues related to the Ulu Muda and Bukit Saiong Forest Reserves had been resolved and the PAS-led Kedah government only needs to implement them.
Mukhriz said the state government had sought to strike a balance between the people's interests, concerns by environmental NGOs and the logging companies.
He added the logging companies had been willing to compromise when he engaged them.
"I thank the companies that were granted concessions in the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve for not threatening to drag the state government to court after I announced a stop to the logging activities.
All quarters provided good cooperation in achieving a consensus, taking into account the state government's position on Kedah's forest sustainability," he said.
Earlier today, newly-minted Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor claimed the Kedah government was facing RM1 billion in compensation claims from 40 logging companies.
He said this involved 131 concessions in an area of 22,098 hectares in the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve.
"Our proposal is to consider giving them a replacement area outside of the water reservoir," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
Mukhriz's Harapan government collapsed after defections from PKR and his own party Bersatu.
PAS' Muhammad Sanudi Md Nor was sworn in as the new menteri besar on May 17.
Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin had taken his party out of Harapan to form Perikatan Nasional (PN) with BN, PAS, GPS, PBS and STAR.
PN now controls the federal government and also took over Malacca, Johor and Perak from Harapan.
Mukhriz, who is the Bersatu deputy president, had adamantly maintained the Harapan government in Kedah despite his party's exit from the coalition.
However, the defections made Kedah the latest state to fall to PN. - Mkini
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