KUANTAN: The Pahang Forestry Department has rubbished claims by a Facebook user who alleged that there were widespread illegal logging and mining activities at forest reserves in Lanchang, Temerloh.
In a statement today, the department denied the Facebook posting titled "Suara rakyat dari hutan Lanchang, Pahang" (Voices of the people from the Lanchang forest, Pahang) describing the claims as baseless.
"Allegation that logging activities had just started to cut down 14,000 acres (5,665 ha) of trees at the Lakum forest reserve is untrue as logging licence has been only issued for 2,666 ha (6,589 acres ) in the forest reserve between 2018 and 2020.
"The second allegation on there being many illegal gold mines operating at the Lakum forest reserve by abusing the logging and sand mining permit is not true as there are no gold mines in the area. No approvals for sand mining were issued for the respective forest reserve," read the statement.
The department had dismissed claims there were large scale land encroachment activities to plant Musang King durians and vanilla.
"The department can confirm there are no illegal land clearing activities at the Lakum and Kemasul forest reserve for durian and vanilla," it read.
The department said it had deployed its officers to conduct checks on the allegations and visit the areas mentioned by the social media user to conduct field inspection.
"The details were gathered from our staff who went to the respective sites. The claims made by the individual has no basis.
"Those with genuine information on any encroachments activities can come forward to lodge their reports and the department will initiate the necessary action," it read.
In the Facebook posting yesterday, the user who identified himself as "Wartawan Tua" (Elderly Reporter) wrote the article and shared some pictures on his allegations.