Mud floods in Cameron Highlands not caused by logging - Wan Junaidi

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment today denied that logging was the cause of mud floods in

Cameron Highlands on Sunday.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said no logging activities were carried out in the area concerned.

He said at the time of the incident, it was raining heavily, with rainfall of 92mm in three hours, thereby triggering the mud floods.

"Such heavy rain has not occurred in the past 10 years. What happened is the rain water flowing down from Gunung Brinchang to Sungai Bertam area could not be contained, in addition to debris comprising old trees which were swept along," he said.

Speaking to reporters here today, he said that if it rains like that again, it was not impossible for mud floods to recur.

Wan Junaidi said the ministry had directed the Department of Environment (DOE) to undertake studies at the vicinity of the villages involved in the flash floods and mud floods in Cameron Highlands.

He added that the Drainage and Irrigation Department had also been instructed to make a study related to the deepening of the river and a few other things have also been taken into account.

On the oil spill off the coast of Penang, Wan Junaidi said DOE had initiated contingency plans for addressing the incident detected on Friday.

He said the incident was believed to have been caused by oil tankers.

According to him, oil samples had been taken from a ship suspected of being involved in the incident.