Logging cuts water source for Kuala Krai folk, MP says licence nixed

Logging at a forest in Mengkebang, Kuala Krai has led to pollution in catchment ponds which are the locals’ main source of water, residents have claimed as they called on the Kelantan menteri besar to take action on the matter.

Residents' representative Ali Hanapiah Mohamed said it is understood that 1,000ha of forest are being logged, rendering four catchment ponds sandy and murky.

Since the logging started, the residents’ water supply has also been intermittent, effectively disrupting their daily lives, he lamented.

"The catchment pond was set up in 1989 to assist locals, and the problem (of pollution) began in the 1990s when logging started.

"Today, it is even worse and is affecting our main water supply," he added.

Ali said this after submitting a memorandum to Kelantan Menteri Besar Ahmad Yaakob urging him to cancel logging licences for the area.

Kelantan MB’s political secretary Mohd Asri Mat Daud (left) receiving a memorandum from Mengkebang residents

Accompanied by more than 20 other residents, Ali handed the memorandum to the MB's political secretary, Mohd Asri Mat Daud, at Kompleks Kota Darulnaim, Kota Bharu today.

In the memorandum, residents also urged the state to gazette the forested area as a permanent water catchment area.

"This is like what happened at Gunung Stong, Dabong, and if there was negligence in issuing the logging licence, this needs to be rectified," he said.

MP claims MB cancelled logging licence

Kuala Krai MP Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman said the four catchment ponds were located in compartments 98 and 101 of the Sungai Durian Forest Reserve.

Both compartments, he said, have already been gazetted as water catchment areas and logging is not allowed.

However, logging licences were issued for compartments next to them, that is compartments 99 and 100.

Nevertheless, Latiff said, no logging has been done there and checks found only a tractor belonging to loggers at the compartment where the logging licence was only recently issued.

Kuala Krai MP Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman

"Our checks found that if logging happened in compartments 99 and 100, the catchment area will be affected, including the existing catchment ponds.

"So the suggestion to move the catchment pond to another area would not solve the issue if these two compartments (99 and 100) can be logged," he said in a statement on Facebook.

The lawmaker added that following the checks, residents sent a protest letter on April 17 urging the menteri besar to cancel the logging licence in compartments 99 and 100 with immediate effect, and safeguard water supply for some 7,000 residents as well as the local mosque, school and several surau.

"I understand that the MB has cancelled the logging licence on April 18 to safeguard the water supply to the affected locals.

"As such, I urged parties not to muddy the waters further and take advantage of this issue," Latiff said. - Mkini