Latest news with #PeninsularMalaysiaForestryDepartment
New Straits Times
19-06-2025
- New Straits Times
13 detained over illegal gold mining in Kelantan, Pahang forests since 2023
KOTA BARU: A total of 13 people have been detained over six cases of illegal gold mining reported in Kelantan and Pahang from 2023 to date. Peninsular Malaysia Forestry Department director-general Datuk Zahari Ibrahim said four of the cases were recorded in Kelantan and two in Pahang. He said 12 people were arrested in Kelantan, while one was detained in Pahang. The cases in Kelantan were detected in the Batu Papan Forest Reserve, Berangkat Forest Reserve, Ulu Temiang Forest Reserve, and Hulu Galas Forest Reserve. "In Pahang, the offences occurred in the Kechau Forest Reserve and Sungai Yu Forest Reserve," he told the New Straits Times. Zahari said the illegal mining activities detected within the Permanent Forest Reserves remain under control, thanks to active enforcement and monitoring. He added that the overall situation in the East Coast states is not alarming but remains under close watch by the relevant authorities. "In Kelantan, two types of residents are typically involved. "First, those engaged in gold panning, and second, those acting as guides or middlemen for illegal miners, including foreigners," he said. He added that these illegal operations often exploit legitimate exploration licences issued for mineral tenements to disguise their activities. Zahari said certain forest areas had become hotspots due to their proximity to approved exploration sites, making it difficult for enforcement agencies to distinguish between legal and illegal operations. "Illegal miners tend to operate discreetly, taking advantage of licensed exploration areas to avoid detection. "These activities are usually carried out during off-peak hours to avoid enforcement patrols," he added. Zahari said the department continues to work closely with other enforcement agencies to protect the integrity of the Permanent Forest Reserves and to take firm action against those who violate forestry and mineral laws. Yesterday, Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Mohamed Fadzli Hassan had said that gold mining activities in the state's forest reserves mostly involve traditional, small-scale panning carried out by locals.
New Straits Times
16-06-2025
- New Straits Times
Well-organised rings linked to illegal mineral mining, says Forestry Dept D-G
KOTA BARU: Illegal mineral mining activities in Peninsular Malaysia are increasingly sophisticated and may involve well-organised syndicates. This was revealed by Peninsular Malaysia Forestry Department director-general Datuk Zahari Ibrahim. He said investigations into recent cases, particularly in Kelantan and Pahang, suggest the existence of structured operations, some of which likely operate under the control of syndicates. "Illegal mining on tenement land can occur either with or without syndicate involvement. However, several cases show clear signs of systematic operations, possibly coordinated by organised groups," he told the New Straits Times. He said syndicate-linked mining typically involves heavy machinery such as excavators and gold sluices, 4WD vehicles, motorcycles, generators, water pumps, welding machines, and the bulk use of fuel supplies, including oil storage drums. "There is also widespread use of foreign and local labour. We suspect the illegal miners are operating in hotspot areas that have approved mineral exploration licences, using these permits as a smokescreen to evade enforcement authorities. "These individuals exploit the gaps in monitoring by disguising their illegal activities under the guise of legitimate exploration," Zahari said. The department, he said, has adopted a multi-agency approach to combat illegal gold mining, especially in forest reserves. He added that among the measures implemented were satellite image monitoring to detect changes in forested areas, with intelligence processed through the department's War Room. Others are joint patrols and periodic monitoring of approved exploration sites with state-level enforcement agencies, including the police, the Minerals and Geoscience Department, the State Land and Mines Office, the Department of Environment and the Immigration Department. "We also deploy advanced surveillance tools such as drones and the SMART Forestry Patrol application and install road barriers to restrict access to Permanent Forest Reserves," he added. They have also set up permanent control checkpoints under the Integrated Khazanah Operations in critical areas. Zahari reaffirmed the department's commitment to tackling illegal mining, emphasising that collaboration across agencies was vital to protecting the nation's forest reserves and natural resources.
New Straits Times
15-06-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Forestry DG: Permanent Reserved Forests in Peninsular Malaysia stable, slight growth since 2000
KOTA BARU: The total area of Permanent Reserved Forests (PRF) in Peninsular Malaysia has remained consistent and has even recorded a slight increase since 2000. Peninsular Malaysia Forestry Department director-general Datuk Zahari Ibrahim said while some PFR areas have been degazetted over the years to accommodate national development, the reduction was not significant. "Some areas of PFR in the country have experienced a reduction in size due to degazettement for purposes other than forestry. "However, in general, the size of PFR in Peninsular Malaysia has remained consistent and is increasing. "Some reduction has occurred due to degazettement for non-forestry purposes in line with national development. "These reductions are usually compensated with equivalent or larger replacements by state authorities, in line with Sections 11, 12, and 13 of the National Forestry Act 1984," he said. As of 2023, Zahari said the total area of PFR stood at 4,854,658.03 hectares, while non-PFR forest area covered 888,888.08 hectares, based on data from the Peninsular Malaysia Forestry Department. "Compared with 2022, there was an increase of 2,638.54 hectares in PFR area in 2023," Zahari said. He stressed that illegal logging or uncontrolled tree felling are not major contributors to PFR changes, and that forest governance continues to be managed according to established laws and frameworks. On May 28, it was reported that the shrinking of wildlife habitats is a major contributor to the rising number of human-wildlife conflicts in the Gua Musang district, with several incidents causing injuries among villagers. Galas assemblyman Mohd Syahbuddin Hashim said the issue, especially in Orang Asli settlements in the interior, had become increasingly worrying. He said one of the main causes was uncontrolled logging and agricultural activities that encroach on forest areas. He added that the conflict involved not just elephants entering villages, but also tigers attacking livestock and bears roaming through settlements. "We need a serious investigation into the root cause. However, it cannot be denied that unregulated logging and encroachment into wildlife habitats are major factors. "When the forests where these animals live continue to shrink, they have no choice but to enter human settlements in search of food and shelter," he said. Syahbuddin called on authorities to review the issuance of logging permits and establish buffer zones to protect villages from wildlife intrusion.
