Thursday September 3, 2009
By CHRISTINA CHIN
THE state government is investigating the illegal logging of rubber trees at some 2ha of land at the Mengkuang Dam in Seberang Prai which went undetected for at least two weeks.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said it came to a halt after State Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh received a tip off on Aug 25.
"Following a police report on the same day in Bukit Mertajam, a hydraulic excavator worth more than RM100,000 was confiscated and a worker detained.
"We do not know how many logs have been taken but I am sure that the loss is more than the price of the excavator," he told a press conference here yesterday.
He also urged the public to inform the state if they came across more such incidents in the future.
Phee, who was also present at the press conference, said the Forestry Department rangers visited the site and confirmed that illegal logging of old rubber trees had taken place on some 2ha of land in the area earmarked for the expansion of the dam.
"We don't know who is be-hind this yet. The investigation is ongoing and those respon-sible will be charged under the National Forestry Act 1984," he said, adding that the illegal clearing of land could cause flash floods especially during the current rainy season.
"That is why we had to act fast to prevent more negative impact on the environment," he said.
To report illegal logging activities, call Phee at 012-4711111.
This article was taken from: The Star Online:Metro: North 3 September 2009
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