PEKA slams Kelantan Forestry dept for failing to foiled syndicates encroaching on forest reserves

Shah ALAM - The recent revelation by the Kelantan Forestry Department (JPNK) of syndicates selling illegally demarcated forest reserves for years have shown the agency's "incompetency", said Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka) president, Puan Sri Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil

“The question is, what has been done by the forestry department as a ‘guardian' to forest reserves for this to happen?

“Are corruption activities no longer able to be combated?” she told Sinar Harian on Monday (Jan 24)

Previously, JPNK revealed the existence of illegal forest exploration syndicates that trespassed forest reserves in the state before selling them to outsiders without legal documentation.

JPNK director, Abdul Khalim Abu Samah said, although the activity is made without any documentation, it is still in high demand.

Meanwhile, Sharifa Sabrina said, such syndicates should not exist in the country.

“Timber operators will look for opportunities and identify the officers that they can negotiate with to ease their affairs in producing wood products,” she added.

Commenting further, she said drastic and immediate actions need to be taken to put a stop to these activities.

“Among them are implementing the moratorium that suspends the logging license and identifies the officers involved by firing or arresting them.

“Environmental criminals need to be fined up to RM10 million or jailed up to 30 years or both and it is now time for Act 313 National Forestry Act 1984 to be amended and National Land Council and the Federal Government need to have full authority on the management for Permanent Forest Reserves,'' she said.