IPOH: A viral photo of logging supposedly being carried out in a permanent forest reserve in Perak is an old image, the state Forestry Dept says.

       Its director Datuk Mohamed Zin Yusop said the photo making its rounds on social media was taken in 2019.

       He said in Perak, there are approximately 987,000 hectares gazetted as permanent forest reserves under the National Forestry Act 1984.

       He said these reserves were being managed according to the principles of sustainable forest management.

       “For that purpose, permanent forest reserves are divided into production forests (51%) and protection forests (49%).

       “Production forests are for the purpose of deriving forest products including sustainable timber production through logging.

       “Protection forests are earmarked for environmental conservation, raw water supply, wildlife protection and other aspects,” he said in a statement on Tuesday (Jan 18).

       Mohamed Zin was referring to a post in social media on logging activities at the Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve in Kuala Kangsar with the tagline “Hutan Simpan pun boleh dapat lesen untuk tarah” (you can even get logging licences for forest reserves).

       He said the forest in the photos was classified as a production forest with the state giving logging approval for 80ha in 2018.

       He added that the logging licence expired in 2020.

       “Logging activities there were carried out in accordance with procedures and rules set by the department.

       “Thus the department is of the view that the complainant has been confused with the term 'Permanent Forest Reserve' as, in his opinion, logging activities cannot be carried out there.

       “His assumption is inaccurate because under the production classification, logging can be carried out in accordance with procedures and conditions,” Mohamed Zin added.