CAP, SAM welcome Kedah’s move to revoke logging permits

GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) and Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) welcome the Kedah state government’s move to revoke logging permits in the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve with immediate effect.

CAP president S.M. Mohamed Idris said under the previous government, logging has damaged areas in the forest and there should be no logging at all permitted in the area, including extractive activities such as mining or quarrying.

He said besides revoking the licenses, urgent action also must be taken to gazette the Ulu Muda Forest Reserves as water catchment forests and protect them for the vital functions these forest provide to society.

“The Ulu Muda Forest Reserve and surrounding forested areas is of national importance. Covering a total land area of 106,418 hectares, the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve is the largest water catchment area in the northern region, filling the three major dams in Kedah – the Ahning Dam, the Muda Dam and the Pedu Dam.

“Raw water from the Ulu Muda also flows through Sungai Muda to Penang.

These forests are critical in meeting the water needs of Perlis, Kedah and Penang, serving an estimated population of 4.09 million people in three states,” he said in a statement, here yesterday.

Mohamed Idris said the federal and state governments were also urged to avail on the funds that are available internationally for the protection of the forests for the purpose of combating climate change and conserving biodiversity, as the forest also play a major role as a ‘carbon sink’ critical for addressing climate change.

On Monday, Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar thanked the Kedah government for stopping logging activities in the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve. He said that it was among the good news he received from Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir as the ministry had sought the cooperation of the Kedah government to gazette the reserve as a water catchment area. - Bernama