Rural Development Minister Mahdzir Khalid has denied that his ministry has something to do with a logging tender in Negeri Sembilan that drew criticism from environmentalists recently.
He pointed out that any ministry looking to carry out a project in a state needs to obtain permission from the state government first.
"We (Rural Development Ministry) at the federal level have to refer to the state government in whatever we intend to implement.
"So, how can the ministry simply be involved in logging activities in Negeri Sembilan?” he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.
Mahdzir said that land and water are under the state’s jurisdiction, therefore projects that the federal government wants to do in the state must seek approval from the state government.
“That's the rules we adopted since independence," he added.
The minister said this when asked to confirm if a logging tender announced by Negeri Sembilan Forestry Department, fell under his ministry.
The Negeri Sembilan Forestry Department reportedly issued a notice on Oct 5 inviting bids for a contract to extract logs from several compartments in the Lenggeng forest reserve and Gapau forest reserve.
The notice stated that the tender involves an area of 94.66ha or equivalent to more than 130 football fields.
According to the notice, the tender is to pave the way for road construction works between Kampung Ganu and Ulu Beranang.
Bids for the tender must be submitted before noon on Oct 26.
In August, Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun said the state would not issue any logging licence this year. - Mkini
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