ALOR STAR – The Kedah government today denied that it has issued new licences or approvals for quarrying, extracting sand materials and logging activities at the Gunung Raya Forest Reserve (HSGR) in Langkawi.
The Kedah Menteri Besar’s Office, in a statement, said that they learnt about the issue that had gone viral on social media over the past few days.
“HSGR is a forest reserve with 18 compartments, which was gazetted as a Permanent Forest Reserve (HSK) with an area of 4,930 ha, under the National Forestry Act on March 15, 1941.
“Based on records, several quarrying approvals (small licences) have been issued by the state authority through the Permanent Committee on Natural Revenues (JKTHB) meeting and have been through the State Executive Council (MMK) over the past few years,” the statement read.
It said there are five locations in the HSGR area that have been given approval, which involve the original area of more than 140ha for the purpose of producing stone powder, sand and granite, and so far only one location is operating.
“There is a copy of a letter from the Kedah State Forestry Department dated May 9, 2021 regarding the approval to remove the remaining timber in Compartment 11 HSGR to Yayasan Islam Negeri Kedah’s (YIKED) subsidiary Yiked Holdings Sdn Bhd, which has gone viral on social media.
“This has raised concerns among some communities that there are new licences and approvals that have been issued for logging or any related activities. The letter is just a notification that JKTHB through a meeting dated April 23, 2020 has decided that all approved stone and sand quarrying areas are only 19ha,” it said.
All companies that have been given approval, namely YIKED, Perniagaan Rahim & Fauzi and Permodalan Kedah Bhd, have been instructed by the state Forestry Department to carry out the process of re-identification of areas with an approved area of 19ha.
“With this explanation, it is hoped that no more parties are worried or suspicious about the possibility of a new approval issued by the Kedah government to any party to carry out any activities in the forest reserve,” the statement said.
“The state government under the leadership of Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has always placed a high commitment to preserving environmental sustainability throughout Kedah.” – Bernama, June 14, 2022
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