Sharifah Mahsinah Abdullah New Straits Times 22 Sep 17;
KOTA BARU: The Kelantan forestry department is upping its surveillance capabilities with the use of drones and motorcycles in a bid to protect logs and check other illegal activities in the state’s forest reserve.
Director, Datuk Zahari Ibrahim said the drones and motorcycles will be used in areas of the forest that are difficult to access by other means. The department has prepared three drone units and four teams to conduct surveillance in the forest reserve.
"Illegal logging activities in the forest reserve are still alarming, especially in Gua Musang. With the use of better technology we hope to put a stop to illegal logging and any activity that is against forest regulations,” he said.
The department has recorded more than 10 cases of illegal logging since the beginning of this year and a majority of the cases, according to Zahari, involved timber companies. Last year the department had also seized logs valued at more than RM300,000, he said.
Zahari has also instructed the department’s enforcement officers to double their operation.
