The National Forestry Act (Act 313) amendments that were approved and gazetted at the federal level in September will be fully adopted by the state government of Perak Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, as the state’s Forestry Enactment (Adoption).
According to him, the Perak government will see to it that all state agencies and departments work with the federal government on the issue.
“We will adhere to the decisions made by the federal government,” he declared at a press conference on Wednesday, Nov. 15, following his visit with flood victims staying at the makeshift relief centres at Padang Tembak Multipurpose Hall and Chikus Multipurpose Hall.
Woo Kah Leong, the chairman of the state committee for domestic trade, cooperatives, consumer affairs, and Chinese new villages, and Datuk Salbiah Mohamed, the chairman of the state committee for women, families, social welfare, entrepreneurs, and cooperative development, were also present.
Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, the minister of natural resources, the environment, and climate change, had earlier urged all state governments to enact the Act’s revisions with full support.
Tightening up the degazetting and replacement procedures for Permanent Forest Reserves (HSK) and instituting a public inquiry process prior to degazetting any HSK and replacing the degazetted HSK concurrently are two of the major enhancements.
In addition, the maximum prison sentence for forest offences has been raised from seven years to twenty years, and the maximum fine has increased from RM500,000 to RM5 million.
