
The government is confident that the status of Tasik Chini will not be lost – Takiyuddin
KOTA BHARU: The government is confident that the status of Tasik Chini, in Pahang as part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) will not be lost, said Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.
He said his side had gone to the Regent of Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah yesterday to present a report related to Tasik Chini that had been done by the government.
“All preparations have been made and the report will also be brought in the national level meeting chaired by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (KeTSA) this week.
“We are confident that Tasik Chini’s status will not be stripped by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),” he said after officiating the Annual General Meeting of the Parents and Teachers Association (PIBG) of Sultan Ismail National Secondary School here today.
According to him, any activity that could affect Tasik Chini including new approvals for taking sand, minerals or the like has been stopped.
UNESCO has given Malaysia until Sept 30 to inform the world body about the plan to treat and restore Tasik Chini and the wetlands around it to return to health.
In other developments, Takiyuddin said there was no need to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) regarding the alleged discrepancy in the report on the cause of the flood disaster in Baling on July 4.
“I don’t see any contradiction because the person managing this special committee is not a government official but a well-known expert such as the Head of the Environment and Sustainability Cluster of the Academy of Professors Malaysia (APM), Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Ibrahim Komoo.
“So I think the results of the study cannot be disputed, but if you want to complete the results of the investigation, it may be possible,” he said.
The media previously reported that Kedah Sahabat Alam Sik and Grass Club advisor Mohd Sobri Ramlee called for the establishment of RCI because according to him there is a contradiction in the report regarding the cause of the debris flood in Baling following two different statements issued by KeTSA and the Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA).
source – BERNAMA