No logging in Merapoh Forest Reserve

KUANTAN: The Pahang Forestry Department today stressed that there is no logging or mining activity in the Merapoh Forest Reserve area in Lipis near here, as alleged by a non-governmental organisation post which went viral on social media.
Director Datuk Mohd Paiz Kamaruzaman said the alleged logging activity was actually on land owned by the Agriculture Industrial Development Board (LKPP) and did not involve any forest reserve land.
He said the LKPP had the permit to develop the land and had built a 1.2km trail in the area to transport forest products before the land is developed.
"The process of making the trail to transport the forest products had been approved by the estate manager. The process does not involve the Forestry Department because there is no forest reserve land involved. It is understood that the trail was made as it was the nearest access to the main road.
"Although it is outside our jurisdiction, we took the initiative to investigate and see for ourselves the track as we were worried it involved forest reserve land. We also met and talked to the land owners.

"We have asked them to find an alternative trail which is further and more suitable as it would not be too close to the forest reserve land," he told Bernama when contacted here today.
Yesterday, the media reported claims by the Save Merapoh Cave Association concerning logging and mining activities in the Merapoh Forest Reserve area which it claimed affected Gua Hari Malaysia. — Bernama