KOTA BARU: The forest reserves in two districts in Kelantan have been identified as encroached by locals for settlement and agricultural activities.
Sources said the activities began years ago but have started to become rampant of late.
The forest reserves are located in Gua Musang and Kuala Krai.
""Many locals have encroached into the state's forest reserves to find new settlements for their families and also for agricultural activities.
"They have planted various fruits to generate an income and the size of the explored land is getting bigger over time.
"Joining them were foreigners including those from Thailand," said the sources.
It is learnt that among the affected forest reserves are in Sungai Terah and Sungai Sam.
The Kelantan Forestry Department recorded 137 cases of encroachment in the state's forests between 2020 and 2023.
Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud said 98 cases were resolved while the rest were still under the department's investigation.
During the same period, he added the department collected compounds amounting to RM1.38 million from the offenders.
Nassuruddin said there was a downward trend in the number of cases in the four-year period.
In 2020, there were 47 cases and in 2021, the department recorded 35 cases.
In 2022, they had 33 cases while last year, 22 cases were recorded.
Nassuruddin said this shows that the department has stepped up its enforcement in the state's forests to prevent encroachment.