IPOH, 20 July 2009: The commercial exploitation or destruction of forest in Perak is not as serious as claimed by environmental groups, said the Barisan Nasional’s Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir.
He said presently, only 1.04mil hectare or about 50% of forest in the Perak was involved in such activities.
“This is better than in developed countries like Australia (only 20% of forest left), France (28%), Germany (32%), Holland (11%) and the United Kingdom (12%).
“The Perak government will continue to be strict in the management and development of forest resources,” he told reporters after the opening of the new Perak Forestry Department building here today. The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, opened the RM17.8mil building in Bandar Meru Raya, replacing the old building on Jalan Panglima Bukit Gantang Wahab.
Under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), the forestry department received a RM62mil allocation from the Perak government and RM94mil from the forestry development consolidated fund for forest conservation.
The Perak government had gazetted 160,000ha of forest reserve as water catchment areas, Zambry added. — Bernama
kanna says
For a thief who stole a state, the forest is a small thing. Step down ler – return Perak to its people. We don’t want you.
Nicholas Aw says
I believe that BN’s Menteri Besar Zambry made the most absurd statement when he said: “Only 1.04mil hectare or about 50% of forest in Perak was involved in such activities”. He continued: “This is better than in developed countries like Australia (only 20% of forest left) ….” Is this not considered serious? Australia, France and even the UK have made irreversible mistakes. We are following suit if we don’t act on it immediately.
Perhaps Zambry will only start worrying when we reach the level of those countries he mentioned. My dear MB, despite your doctorate you sound more like a typical BN politician. To you raping the forest in Perak seems okay. Of course it is perfectly alright because there are always profits which are more important to you!
Please listen to the environmental groups as they know better. Have you gone to the ground to see for yourself or did you make your statement from the comfort of your air-conditioned office?
The forest in Perak should be closely monitored. Logging licenses should be controlled and only allowed with a condition that replanting is done for every tree cut down. Enforcement should be regularly carried out to prevent illegal logging. Even enforcement officers should be monitored as there is always a temptation that these officers may be blinded by corruption.
vp says
Zambry will wait until the Perak forest % is same as UK, then he can stop? He is the joker of Perak.
bulan says
I don’t understand lah. So, we’re given millions to conserve forests that don’t really exist anymore? LOL, sounds like a brilliant move. And if we want to compare our ‘amount’ of forest left to that of France, Germany, Holland and the UK, why not we also compare our efforts in the development of sustainable technologies to theirs? Then I’m not so sure if we measure up to all the steps they’re currently taking to make up for the ignorance and destruction they’ve caused before and (as a result) the little forest they have left. Aren’t we then just (as history has it) repeating the mistakes of the developed world many years ago? Or are we still in denial? 🙂
forest says
I travel frequently from Butterworth to Gerik and I have to close my eyes when I reach Hulu Perak. I cannot bear the sight of the forest being ‘raped’ by loggers. Here Zambry said it is not serious – in other words, the loggers can rape some more virgin forest until they die … I think it is a serious mistake that we have such a leader to lead Perak – my motherland.
Pei Ling says
Why do our politicians always make the wrong comparisons?
Either Zambry truly has no idea at all, or he’s ignoring the fact that once these 50% of forests are destroyed, its function as a carbon sink and water catchment, plus the rich biodiversity within, will be lost forever.
There’s no turning back, Datuk.
vp says
BN style, always compare with [those who are] worse to show it’s better. When a survey (of a certain event) is done by an international body, they celebrate when Malaysia ranks high but complain when Malaysia rates low.
BN fears loss of face, power, and money.
Kick BN out.