IPOH: Land clearing works currently taking place at the Bubu Forest Reserve near Kuala Kangsar will not be carried out during the rainy season, says Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
The Perak Mentri Besar said the 400ha of land was degazetted and handed over to the Perak Agricultural Development Corporation for developing farms for youth under the agri-entrepreneurs food security programme.
Saarani said the project cannot be stopped as it will affect the state government's plans to increase participation of youth in the agriculture sector.
"I assure residents staying near the area that deforestation works will be carried out in stages.
"People do not need to be worried as the area will not be exposed to flooding. We have learnt from our previous experiences," he told the media after attending the Jelajah Halal Malaysia 2023 programme at Casuarina Meru Hotel here on Monday (Nov 27).
On Nov 24, residents in Manong near Kuala Kangsar voiced concerns after spotting heavy machinery in the Bubu Forest Reserve.
They also saw an access road had already been built into the forest reserve, which led them to believe that logging would take place there soon.
The residents said they feared that what happened in Baling, Kedah could happen in their area.
In July 2022, several villages in Baling were submerged in muddy floodwater, with houses destroyed, several killed and hundreds more displaced due to a water surge.
Saarani said that land clearing works would not be carried out during the rainy season.
"We will make sure that the project follows all necessary procedures including planting new trees and following all conservation methods to avoid any sort of erosion," he said.
