KUCHING: The Sarawak Forest Department has begun probing into the logjam in the upper reaches of the Batang Baleh River.
Its director Datu Hamden Mohammad said a team from the department was on the ground to compile data and information.
"We will decide on the next course of action based on our findings," he said.
He was commenting on the WWF-Malaysia's statement yesterday, in which it urged the Sarawak government to investigate and haul errant parties to court for causing destruction to the environment in Upper Baleh, which is an important water catchment for Kapit, Sibu, Sarikei and Mukah divisions.
WWF-Malaysia Sarawak conservation programme head Dr Jason Hon said the cost of cleaning up should be borne by companies responsible for the disastrous logjam which affects both the environment and people's livelihoods in rural and urban areas.
He said the forest authority could trace and identify culprits through the intelligence unit and remote monitoring system and hoped for the authorities concerned would do a thorough and transparent investigation.
On Sunday, Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri James Jemut Masing said the logjam was caused by timber concessionaires operating in the headwaters of Batang Baleh with devastating environmental impact.
He said the state government should not renew timber licences to operate at the upper reaches of Batang Baleh to prevent similar future incidents.
Masing said the previous logjam in the headwaters of Batang Baleh happened in 2010, which stretched all the way from Kapit to Sibu and resulted in a riverine traffic jam.
He said dead fish and wildlife including carcasses of crocodiles were found floating in the river.
Dr Hon also reminded that indiscriminate activities in the interior and upstream could aggregate and impact those living downstream as well.
A study by WWF-Malaysia in 2018 showed ecosystem services in Baleh watershed are worth USD93.72 million per year, not including carbon sequestration.
Sediment and flood regulation services are among the ecosystem services with the highest values to the communities here.
The Upper Baleh is part of the Heart of Borneo landscape which promotes sustainable use and management of natural resources - both on land and rivers - for different stakeholders.
"Hence, the public have the right to state their frustration and we look forward to the immediate responses from the authorities on how this issue will be mitigated," Dr Hon said.