October 07, 2009 18:06 PM

More Than 121,000 Hectares In Kedah Gazetted As Forest Reserve

ALOR SETAR, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- The Kedah government has approved the gazetting of 121,904 hectares of forest as forest reserve and consequently repeated its demand for compensation for the loss of revenue in the form of annual grants.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak said the forest reserves located in several areas in the state would be gazetted soon to preserve the environment and act as a water catchment area.

He said the State Executive Council (Exco) meeting last week approved the gazetting of 76,205 hectares while earlier in March and July, almost 45,700 hectares had been approved for gazetting.

"After the gazetting, the state government will make a demand to the federal government to compensate the loss of revenue by giving an annual grant and the quantum will be decided based on the outcome of a discussion between the two parties.

"The gazetting of the forest reserves will result in the state government losing about RM3.2 billion in terms of revenue," Azizan told reporters after the weekly State Exco meeting at Wisma Darul Aman, here Wednesday.

After winning the last general election, the state government under the opposition coalition led by PAS had demanded a compensation of RM100 million annually from the federal government for not felling trees in the forest reserves, but the demand was not entertained.

Azizan said the Exco meeting today also approved the gazetting of three areas totalling almost 65,000 hectares as the State Park to conserve wild life and plants which could also boost eco-tourism in the state.

The areas are Ulu Muda encompassing the Tasik Pedu and Ahning Dam areas in Padang Terap covering 27,196 hectares; Lembah Bujang in the Merbok district (11,336 hectares) and in Pulau Tuba, Langkawi (26,163 hectares), he said.

-- BERNAMA

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