GUA MUSANG – The Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry will hold a meeting with stakeholders in the next two weeks to discuss and examine Kelantan’s plans to modify the state’s environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs).
Its minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the meeting to be held in Putrajaya will involve government agencies such as the Forestry Department, the Wildlife and National Parks Department, the Environment Department, the Town and Country Planning Department and the Kelantan state government.
“I know at the moment it is still in the objection or public hearing process and many parties in Kelantan have also expressed their position.
“Therefore, we will look in terms of the legal framework what we can do at the federal government level by holding a meeting with the agencies involved in the next two weeks in Putrajaya to thoroughly examine the issue,” he said.
He told reporters after attending a National Environment Day programme at the Sg Betis Resettlement Plan Orang Asli Community Centre, here today.
Commenting further, Nik Nazmi said the ministry also has no problem holding further discussions with the Kelantan government regarding the proposed modifications.
“We will look at it from the aspect of forest areas and environmentally sensitive areas because when many forest areas are affected, the wildlife’s habitat is threatened and there is a need to find a way out.
“Certainly it will have an impact on the communities living nearby, including the Orang Asli communities, so that it is one of the reasons why we are looking at the need over the long term on how to preserve the ‘central forest spine’,” he said.
Recently, Nik Nazmi said the government plans to stop Ecological Fiscal Transfer for Biodiversity Conservation payments to Kelantan if the proposed modifications of to the ESAs in the state continue.
He said, the modifications of ESAs in Kelantan will have implications – including affecting the government’s policy in achieving 50% of forested land in Peninsular Malaysia in line with the National Physical Plan policy.
On October 29, Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Mohamed Fadzli Hassan said the proposed modification of ESAs in Kelantan is still at the public hearing stage, which starts from October 11 to November 11. – November 5, 2023