Penang Watch

Penang appeals to Kedah to review logging policy for the sake of water supply
Opalyn Mok

GEORGE TOWN (June 20, 2008): The Kedah state government's decision to allow logging activities in dam areas will greatly affect water supply in Penang, Perlis, Kedah and Pulau Langkawi.

Urging the Kedah government to reconsider its decision, Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) general manager Jaseni Maidinsa said water catchment areas should be gazetted instead of allowing logging activities.

"About 80% of water supply to Penang comes from the Muda dam catchment areas," he said in a press conference in the Chief Minister's office in Menara Komtar here today.

"If logging activities were carried out around water catchment areas, it would means less rain and less water within the next five to 10 years," he said.

He said the Kedah government should do a study to find out how much economic activities the water supply from these water catchment areas generate.

"They can't just think that by allowing logging, they will get RM16 billion but I am sure the economic activities generated by the water supply, in terms of investments and business, would be more than RM16 billion," he said.

Jaseni said the water catchment areas in Penang have already been gazetted and hoped that all states in the country followed suit.

"Water supply is very important because other than public consumption, it is needed by businesses and large factories, so it could also generate income through investments," he said.

He said he will be writing to the Kedah government to review its decision on the matter due to the direct effect logging activities will have on water supply to Penang.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said it was unusual that logging activities are allowed in water catchment areas because logging will adversely affect dams.

"I understand their need to generate resources and to come up with the RM100 mil lion compensation that the federal government had failed to pay the state for cancelling its proposed heli-harvesting project to log timber in water catchment areas," he said.

However, Lim said allowing logging activities just to generate RM16billion in revenue for the state to cover the RM100 million is not a good idea.

"Logging is non-sustainable development and we are concerned with this decision as it would greatly affect water supply to Penang, Perlis and Langkawi. It is just not in public's interest," he said, adding logging activities should be reduced and not expanded.

"The Kedah government should understand the role of sustainable water supply," said Lim.

When asked why the Penang government will not discuss this with Kedah since both states are under the Pakatan Rakyat, Lim said: "it's not a coalition state. It is a different government there."

For now, Lim said PBAPP will write to the Kedah government first and they will wait for a response from them before taking the next course of action.

Lim also spoke on:

> his surprise visit to the land office which revealed that the department made mistakes in giving out incorrect forms for the state's land renewal policy.

> the land office has rectified its mistakes and a checklist was also introduced to make sure there would not be anymore of such mistakes.

> he reprimanded the land office, stating that it needed to improve performance.

> he hopes he does not need to conduct spot checks on government departments but if it was necessary, he would do it.

> the forms were for applications by land owners to have their industrial and commercial property leases converted to the maximum of 99 years and for all landed residental property be made freehold.