KOTA BHARU – Twelve NGOs, together with the Kelantan branch of PKR, have strongly cautioned the state authority of the massive risks the people there face if it goes ahead to modify the status of environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs), which are mostly rainforests.
They sent a memorandum to the state government to oppose the proposed changes to the development plan for the state involving an area of 514,898 hectares.
They said the state would face the possibility of being hit by severe floods and loss of federal funds for conservation.
NGO representative from Himpunan Kasih, Dr Rosli Allani Abd Kadir said that if the proposal is approved, there is a possibility that the state will have to endure floods worse than before.
He pointed out that people across the state will be affected.
“Many things will happen and the people will be faced with them. If forests are cleared, then animals will be endangered and surely will leave their areas in search of food, especially in villages," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
Kelantan PKR's leadership council deputy chairman Syed Mohd Alidustur Syed Mohd Zain Said that if the proposal is approved, Kelantan would not only risk not receiving allocations for the Ecological Fiscal Transfer for Biodiversity Conservation (EFT), but would also face many negative effects including flood disasters.
"The 12 NGOs involved with us (Kelantan PKR) include Pertubuhan Bantuan Kebajikan Ketereh, Kelab Pautan Kasih Malaysia (KPKM) Bachok and Pertubuhan Akal Fikiran Negeri Kelantan (AMK).
"We strongly object to these proposed changes that can affect the ecology as well as bring disasters especially in the state, and we hope due consideration will be given to the memorandum for a better future for Kelantan," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
He said this to reporters here today after handing over the memorandum to Imran Mansor, assistant chief secretary, of the Kelantan government's Office Management Services.Meanwhile,
Previously, Kelantan deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Mohamed Fadzli Hassan said that the proposed modifications to ESAs in Kelantan are still at the publicity and public participation phase, which began on October 11 and ends on November 11.
Recently, Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the federal government was planning to stop the allocation of the EFT to Kelantan if the state continued with its plan to make changes to its development plan involving ESAs.
According to Nik Nazmi, the Kelantan government's move to make modifications (to the development plan) would have implications on the federal government's policy to achieve 50 percent forested areas in Peninsular Malaysia in line with the National Physical Plan. – The Vibes, November 2, 2023
