John Bunyan/ Malay Mail/ 6 Feb 2019
IPOH, Feb 6
— Ipoh’s iconic Kledang Hill is feared to have lost hundreds of trees to
suspicious land clearing activities in recent weeks, despite being part of the
Kledang-Saiong Forest Reserve.
According to
Sahabat Alam Malaysia field officer Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman, whose group
organised a media visit to the location today, the land clearing increased
significantly in the past month.
He said
there are no notices announcing the purpose of the clearing in the 24ha zone
and said the tree felling could cause mud floods during rainy season, aside
from destroying the areas lushness.
Lorries and
heavy machinery were spotted on the hill located along the Ipoh-Lumut highway
near Taman Kledang Emas here during today’s visit.
“Based on
the topography and geophysical of the hill, such land clearing can bring impact
to the surrounding area, especially to the busy Ipoh-Lumut highway which is
located near the foot of the hill,” he said.
Lorries and
heavy machinery were spotted on the hill located along the Ipoh-Lumut highway
near Taman Kledang Emas here during today’s visit. — Picture courtesy of
Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam
Citing
information he received from the Perak Survey and Mapping Department, he said
the clearing activities were likely in preparation for farming or housing
development.
“If it is
really for a housing project, the question now is what kind of housing project
it will be? Are the houses going to fulfil the need of the people or for the
interest of certain individuals in order to gain profit,” he said.
However, he
said the lack of information about the project invited suspicions that the
clearing activity was illegal, especially as it was forest reserve land.
He said that
projects with the needed planning permission would readily display the
approvals they obtained from relevant authorities.
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