George Town, Malaysia: Environmental groups and non-government organisations (NGOs) are strongly against the Kedah government's proposal to log timber in water catchment areas, a move which they claimed would result in almost one million valuable trees being felled.

Sceptics fear the ecosystem will be gravely affected as a 400km road (by comparison, the distance between Butterworth and Kuala Lumpur is only 360km) will have to be constructed to transport the logs out.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) honorary secretary R. Meenakshi said SAM, together with the Consumer's Association of Penang (CAP), had jointly conducted a study when the previous administration wanted to carry out logging activities in the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve in 2003.

It concurred with the findings of a detailed environmental impact assessment (EIA) report prepared then. Meenakshi, who is also CAP legal adviser, described Kedah Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak's claim that the logging activity would be environmentally-friendly as "nonsense and untrue".

"How can he make such a preposterous claim? I am waiting to see what great plans he has this time around, which he terms environmentally-friendly.

"As for SAM and CAP, we are strongly against the proposal on environmental grounds and hope the Federal Government will step in to resolve the issue," she said, when Azizan remained adamant on his stand to log timber in water catchment areas in Kedah.

The Malaysian Nature Society (Penang branch) chairman K. Kanda stressed that the water catchment area should be left as it is.

"Water is an extremely important resources and we cannot risk it being filled with filth.

"There are consequences. I do not think logging is the best solution for Kedah," he said, questioning Azizan's heli-logging proposal.

Kanda said Azizan's proposal for selective logging to remove only decaying trees was not convincing enough.

"Who is to know whether a tree is decaying or reaching maturity? This is not a viable proposal at all. "Azizan can find other sources of income, such as promoting eco-tourism."

Meanwhile, Penang Water Board (PBA) general manager Jaseni Maidinsa said he would write to the Kedah government detailing their reservations about the project.

He said the matter should be raised in Parliament at its current meeting.

Jaseni said he was surprised that Kedah had defied the cabinet's decision to gazette the water catchment area.

"Whatever justification given cannot be accepted. Logging should not be allowed at all costs.

"The Kedah government should not commit suicide by doing so. Water resources are important," he added.

» Muda reserve logging plan a 'cruel act against nature'