Perak Mb Denies Land Clearing In Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve Near Kuala Kangsar Says Happened On Private Land

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Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad speaks during a press conference at the MH Hotel in Ipoh January 5, 2023. — Picture by Farhan NajibIPOH, Jan 5 — Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad today said that the alleged land clearing activity involving a 200-hectare parcel of land at the Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve near Salak Utara, Kuala Kangsar is not true.
Saarani clarified that the land-clearing activity did not happen in the area within the forest reserve.
-ADVERTISEMENT-"The state Forestry Department has ordered the Kuala Kangsar district forestry department to conduct a check on the said area.
"Upon inspection, the authorities got to know that the land clearing works were done outside the forest reserve on a privately owned land,” he told a press conference after presenting incentives to Perak's 2022 Malaysia Para Games (Para Sukma) participants at the MH Hotel here.
Saarani pointed out that the land clearing activity happened about 1.5 kilometres away from the forest reserve area.
"We thanked the individual’s efforts, but the accusation is baseless. The land appeared to be cleared for farming purposes,” he added.
The Star reported that villagers near Salak Utara and environmentalists were shocked to discover the suspicious land clearing activity, with no signboard at the site.
Quoting Sahabat Alam Malaysia field officer Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman, the report stated that land clearing has been ongoing for a few weeks.
The report also quoted Persatuan Aktivis Alam Sekitar president Hafizudin Nasarudin, who asked why land clearing was being carried out in a rich forest reserve.
It was reported that villagers near the area have reported rivers nearby turning murky, with wild animal raiding their farms after losing their habitats due to land clearing.
On the impact of the land clearing activity on locals and the environment, Saarani said he would instruct the state Environment Department to conduct a thorough check. - malaymail

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