In a statement, RimbaWatch said it found that the “entirety of the project” was located in a permanent forest reserve after comparing maps by the Pahang forestry department and for the development of the proposed township.

FMT is withholding the name of the township.

RimbaWatch claimed that based on a special area plan published earlier this year, the status of forest reserve had been removed.

A search of the available state gazettes found no degazettement of the reserve in question as of 2021.

The NGO said it was therefore likely that the forest reserve was degazetted without a public consultation process between 2021 and 2024.

RimbaWatch also said it could not find a public announcement from the Pahang government referring to the degazettement.

It said the proposed township was located in an environmentally sensitive area and that the development would impact two rivers.

It also cited a seismic fault line in the location which it said would make it unsafe for development.

“The degazettement of a permanent forest reserve for a township is a concerning development in Pahang’s conservation efforts, and was conducted with little consideration for public consultation and transparency,” it said.

RimbaWatch added that the proposed township raised questions regarding compliance with local development guidelines as the area had been declared “off limits for development”, according to two area plans.

“The proposed development should not proceed given the environmental risks listed above,” it said.