He said the site involved land owned by the state agricultural development corporation.

“So, any party, especially NGOs that claim the area involved is under HSK, should check with the state forestry department and the lands and mines office.

“I have checked with the departments and it has been proven that the area is not under the permanent forest reserve or CFS,” he told a press conference after launching the 2030 Perak Sejahtera Plan here today.

Yesterday, Sahabat Alam Malaysia urged the Perak government to review the implementation of the lanthanide rare earth mining project in Hulu Perak, claiming that it is located in the ecological corridor that connects the Kenderong and Bintang Hijau forest reserves, which is a wildlife habitat.

On the 2030 Perak Sejahtera Plan, Saarani said it focused on food security, digital economy, data-driven decision-making, responsible and sustainable smart mining, technical and vocational education and training as well as governance of state projects.

“The state government will pioneer sectors that add value to the state, increase employment opportunities, bridge the education gap and improve the wellbeing of the people,” he said.