Move to block Ulu Muda logging plan

Noor Adzman Baharuddin, New Straits Times 28 Feb 09;

ALOR STAR: A nationwide signature campaign against Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak's plan to log timber in the Ulu Muda forest reserve was launched yesterday.
A spokesman for the 19-member group, Shamsul Ery Shamsudin, said: "The 'Save the Ulu Muda forest reserve' campaign is on.

"We waited for feedback from the menteri besar for almost one year, but there was no response. He didn't even want to meet us.

"We fear the logging plan is on and we want to stop this."

Shamsul, who is a field research officer with Penang-based Sahabat Alam Malaysia, said the group expected to collect 1,000,000 signatures before the end of the year.
"We are also targeting 100,000 signatures in Penang, Kedah and Perlis.

"We will not relent until the menteri besar rescinds his decision."

He said the group was appealing to the Federal Government to honour its promise to pay the Kedah government RM100 million annually if it spared the forest reserve.

He said the Penang and Perlis governments should also pay the Kedah government for preserving the forest reserve, which is about twice the size of Perlis, as it was a major source of water for the three states.

Azizan had proposed to fell timber in the forest reserve to earn revenue that will help the state government carry out development programmes.

Members of the group, led by Sahabat Alam Malaysia, are Malaysian Nature Society, Malaysian Karst Society, World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia, Environmental Protection Society of Malaysia, WaterWatch Penang, Partners of Community Organisations, Treat Every Environment Special, Environmental Management and Research Organisation of Malaysia, United Rural Citizens Association of Kedah, Mada Farmers' Action Group, Community Development and Research Movement, Campus Environmentalist Network, National Friends of Environment Coalition, Consumers Association of Penang, Malay Empowerment Group, Suara Rakyat Malaysia in Penang, Malaysia Social and Health Awareness Association and the Fishermen's Action Network.