PBA CEO Jaseni Maidinsa said the state government should make public all reports that could support claims that logging at the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve would not affect water catchment areas.
“Could Kedah kindly publicise the relevant hydrology reports, rainfall records, river level records and water dam effective capacity records to back up this claim?” he asked during a press conference today.
Jaseni also listed a string of other questions that he wanted the Kedah government to answer:
• Can Kedah clarify if the total area of the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve is 41,375ha or 160,000ha?
• Of the 46,264ha of forests logged in Kedah from 2009 to 2014, how many hectares were in Ulu Muda?
• To date, how many hectares in Ulu Muda have not been logged?
• Could Kedah please show, on a map, the exact location and size of the catchment area and the “licensed” logging areas?
• Could Kedah publicise the relevant hydrology reports, rainfall records, river level records and dam capacity records to back up claims that water catchment areas are not affected?
The demands were made following PBA’s concern over logging at the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve, specifically the upstream end of the Muda River.
PBA has also been urging the Kedah government to cease logging around the area altogether as it was an important water catchment area for both Kedah and Penang, with 80% of water from the river being treated for use by Penangites.
The Kedah government, however, has claimed licensed logging was only carried out in approximately 30% of Ulu Muda. It also said logging activities were not affecting the environment.