State govts to take enforcement action against illegal land occupation by June next year

KUALA LUMPUR: The 79th National Land Council Meeting (MTN) , held yesterday, agreed with the enforcement actions and solutions made on the illegal land occupation in the Permanent Forest Reserves (HSK) in Peninsular Malaysia, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The prime minister said the meeting, which he chaired through video conferencing, also agreed that all state governments should take similar actions by June 1, 2022.

Apart from that, the prime minister said the meeting also agreed in principle with the implementation of a 15-year moratorium on approvals for new forest plantations in permanent forest reserves in the peninsula.

He said there are currently 127,050.25 hectare of forest plantation development zones in permanent forest reserves in the country yet to be approved to any company.

"Before the moratorium is imposed on these areas, state governments wishing to continue the development of forest plantations must conduct detailed consultations with the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry.

"This is to ensure the companies to be appointed comply with all conditions set out in their concession agreements and other relevant laws," he said in a statement here today.

According to Ismail Sabri, the meeting also agreed that a bill on the proposed amendments to Sections 11 and 12 of the National Forestry Act 1984, which had been approved by the Attorney General's Chambers on Dec 3 last year, and the cabinet last Jan 6, be tabled in Parliament in the first session of the year.,

In that context, he said, enforcement of the bill would only be application in the states after the respective State Legislative Assembly amended their respective Forestry (Adoption) Enactment.

During the mneeting yesterday, Ismail Sabri said MTN also ratified the decisions of the 1st National Mineral Council Meeting chaired by Senior Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali on Feb 16.

He said the MTN meeting yesterday was attended by, among others, 10 representatives from the federal government, comprising senior ministers and the relevant ministers, the menteris besar and chief ministers or their representatives.

It was held in accordance with Article 91 (5) of the Federal Constitution which is to form from time to time, through consultation with the federal government, state governments and the National Finance Council, a national policy to develop and control land use in the federation for the purpose of mining, agriculture, forestry or any other purpose and to administer any law thereon.

-- BERNAMA