KOTA BHARU - The Kelantan state government has given assurances that the proposed modifications to the Conservation and Development of Environmentally Sensitive Areas (KSAS) in the state will not involve water sources or catchment areas.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Mohamed Fadzli Hassan said the proposal was made in the interests of the people to coordinate development and planning in the state.
He said the decision on the proposal is still in the Publicity and Public Participation Programme stage, which started in Oct 11 and will go on till Nov 11.
"We are still at the public hearing stage (Publicity and Public Participation Programme) and this proposal is made so that we can coordinate planning and development, especially those related to minerals.
"Anything related to the water reservoir area will not be disturbed and a decision will be made after the results of this public hearing are obtained," he said after attending the Sultan Ismail Petra International Islamic University College Convocation Ceremony (KIAS) here, on Sunday.
On Friday, Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change (NRECC) Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad in a letter proposed to stop the payment of the Ecological Fiscal Transfer for Biodiversity Conservation (EFT) to Kelantan if the proposed KSAS modification in the state continues.
The modification is claimed to be inconsistent with the implementation principles of the EFT, which is an additional financial incentive from the Federal government to the state government introduced in 2019 to protect and conserve important areas for biological diversity including KSAS.
Commenting further on the letter from the ministry, Mohamed Fadzli said the state government will respond in the near future.
He said, Kelantan is exploring new products that benefit the state.
"So any area that we think has revenue and can be used for the benefit of the state and the people, why not (change it) right?
"We will also take into account the recommendations from the ministry before making any modification decisions," he said.