Aerial view of the alleged logging site at the Kuala Raka forest reserve located behind the Taman Shahbandar Heights housing settlement in Bentong. - Pix courtesy of Bilut assemblyman Lee Chin Chen
Aerial view of the alleged logging site at the Kuala Raka forest reserve located behind the Taman Shahbandar Heights housing settlement in Bentong. - Pix courtesy of Bilut assemblyman Lee Chin Chen

BENTONG: Questions have been raised about whether the temporary stop-work order on timber logging activities across Pahang which was imposed on Jan 3 has been lifted.

This is in the wake of allegations by Bilut assemblyman Lee Chin Chen on concerns of large-scale logging activities at the Kuala Raka forest reserve located behind the Taman Shahbandar Heights housing settlement here since last week.

"I received complaints from the residents about the logging activities. I was shocked as such activities were contrary to the earlier temporary stop order which was issued by the state Forestry Department.

"The residents have heard the sound of trees falling to the ground continuously from early morning till evening since last week. When I went to inspect the site, I clearly heard the sound of trees being cut down," he said in a statement today.

The Pahang DAP secretary, who shared several images which were taken using a drone during his visit, described the scale of the logging activities in the area as worrying.

He said while the state Forestry Department director had issued a directive on Jan 3 instructing all logging activities to be temporarily suspended, it appears that illegal logging activities at Taman Shahbandar Heights are still rampant.

Lee said he believed that the logging activities at the site might have contributed to the recent flash floods which struck Bentong last month.

Bilut assemblyman Lee Chin Chen (far right) and Tras assemblyman Chow Yu Hui (far left) outside the Bentong police headquarters. - Pix courtesy of Bilut assemblyman Lee Chin Chen
Bilut assemblyman Lee Chin Chen (far right) and Tras assemblyman Chow Yu Hui (far left) outside the Bentong police headquarters. - Pix courtesy of Bilut assemblyman Lee Chin Chen

"The majority of the residents in Bentong are still traumatised after the major floods last month and the incident has been linked with unregulated logging activities. I urge the Pahang government to immediately stop issuing logging licences and conduct a review on such activities to avoid a repeat of the tragic floods," he said, adding that the people in Pahang cannot face another round of floods.

Lee said a notice put up at the site revealed that the Forestry Department had awarded the licence to a logging firm between Nov 1 last year and Jan 31 this year.

Meanwhile, Tras assemblyman Chow Yu Hui, whose family lives in Taman Shahbandar Heights, said he, along with some villagers, had lodged a police report against the logging company involved.

"The company is suspected of violating the logging suspension. We hope the police will investigate and verify the matter," he said in the statement.

On Jan 3, Pahang Forestry director Datuk Dr Mohd Hizamri Mohd Yasin issued a temporary stop-work order on timber logging activities in the state due to the flood situation.

The letter was to inform industry players to temporarily stop all production of forest products and timber from matau (timber collection centre) at logging sites beginning Jan 3 until further notice.