JPNP: Stop-work order issued for Lentang forest logging road construction

JPNP director Datuk Dr Mohd Hizamri Mohd Yasin said that his department had also ordered cleaning work for the construction of the access road from the licensed logging area to be stopped immediately for re-evaluation.

"Currently we allow licensees only to carry out mitigation work in Sungai Kenoi, and they have started cleaning up work on Friday (Oct 30)," he said in a media statement today.

He was commenting on the issue of forest encroachment in the Lentang Forest, which went viral on social media recently.

Mohd Hizamri said that the issue of encroachment in the said forest actually referred to activities to build a road to the logging area located in Bentong district.

He said that the licence for logging had been approved by JPNP and work commenced on Oct 15. The licensee said that it was necessary to go across Sungai Kenoi with machinery because the wood needed to build the bridge was located in the licensed area.

"Apart from the approval by JPNP, the licensee has also obtained permission from the Bentong Irrigation and Drainage Department to build a road across the Sungai Keno with certain conditions needing to be complied with.

He said that the road construction has started on Oct 27.

However, construction was stopped due to protests from lot owners, located not far from the licensed area, who claimed that the licensee's activities had polluted Sungai Kenoi and expressed doubts over the logging licence approval.