19,500ha of forest reserve area approved for forestry activities - Kelantan assembly told

A total of 19,500ha of Permanent Forest Reserve area in Kelantan have been approved for forest exploration activities under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), the state assembly was told today.

Menteri Besar Ahmad Yakob (above) said felling of the trees in the affected areas was based on the  Annual Felling Ration (CTT) set by the National Land Council at its 77th meeting on Sept 8 last year.

He said the state government, together with the Forestry Department, controlled illegal forest clearing through satellite monitoring.

“Besides that, control is also done through Forest Monitoring Using Remote Sensing (FMRS), including monitoring with the use of drones and regular ground patrols in hot locations,” he said in response to a question from Saiful Adli Abu Bakar (PAS-Salor).

Meanwhile, State Agriculture, Agro -based Industry, Biotechnology, Green Technology and Environment Committee chairperson Tuan Mohd Saripudin Tuan Ismail said only about 30 percent of the state permanent forest reserve area is allowed by the State Forestry Department for agriculture and only 30 percent of the CTT approvals were given specifically for use as durian orchards.

"This is also one of the measures taken by the government to prevent natural disasters or damage to flora and fauna,” he said to a supplementary question from the Salor assemblyperson.

- Bernama