“The ministry also has introduced geospatial technology in monitoring forests which will be in place by 2024, as well as using forest management and remote sensing to monitor changes in forests such as fires, deforestation and encroachment,” said energy and natural resources minister Takiyuddin Hassan.

He was responding to Wong Chen (PH-Subang) who asked if the ministry was using the latest technology to monitor forests.

The minister said they were doing so to ease forest monitoring activities, and to monitor the flow of forest produce as well as to reduce leakages.

Takiyuddin also said state governments should consider having open tenders for logging concessions to curb irresponsible logging practices.

He was responding to Nga Kor Ming (PH-Teluk Intan) who questioned the absence of an open tender process in logging concessions, which he said made the industry less transparent and paved the way for deforestation.

Asked by Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan) on whether the ministry would name the state governments that are degazetting forest reserves for development purposes, Takiyuddin replied that it will take some time for the ministry to come up with such a list.