KUALA LUMPUR: The flash flood that claimed six lives near Gunung Jerai in Yan, Kedah, in August was a natural disaster and not caused by illegal logging, says Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.

       "It was an act of God," the Energy and Natural Resources Minister said in Parliament on Monday (Sept 20) in reply to a supplementary question from Sabri Azit (PAS-Jerai) during Question Time.

       Sabri had asked what steps were being taken by the ministry to make forests more sustainable along the roads leading to the peak of Gunung Jerai, which had been destroyed by the Aug 18 flash flood.

       The floods and landslides were reportedly triggered by an upstream water surge phenomenon at the waterfall area near Gunung Jerai.

       Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stood up to intervene, saying: "We cannot blame it on God (if it was caused) by the greediness of people."

       "This is the same as a former Works Minister who would (call) such incidents an act of God.

       "How do you know it is an act of God when it is humans who are greedy and destroy (nature) by logging?" asked Anwar.

       Takiyuddin replied that the area, situated under the Jerai Geopark, was proclaimed as a national geopark in conjunction with the coronation of the 29th Sultan of Kedah Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah on Oct 22, 2018.

       "Based on its status as a geopark, there is no logging activity (there) at all.

       "I want to state clearly that Jerai is situated under the Ulu Muda forest, covering an estimated 106,000ha.

       "Of the total, 12% is a protected area while 88% can be used for logging.

       "I received confirmation from the Kedah state government that no new logging licences had been issued there in the last three years.

       "From 2014 until 2019, a total of 25,000ha had been approved and licensed for logging in various parts of the permanent forest reserve in Kedah.

       "But for the Ulu Muda permanent forest reserve, there is no logging activity at all," he said.

       Takiyuddin said the water rush phenomenon had uprooted trees, as he observed when he visited the area.

       "The water swept along the trees with their roots.

       "So there was no logging in the Jerai area.

       "This is why I said it is an act of God," he added.

       He also noted that his ministry would embark on a forest restoration programme at the Jerai Geopark area with an allocation of RM75mil from the Federal Government.