KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 — Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said today he is probing the allegation that the Department of Environment had greenlit a project that had encroached into a peat swamp forest in Pahang.
Citing Global Forest Watch satellite data, the group said the project involves some 310 hectares of clearance so far, and it includes the loss of peat swamp forests. The clearing had also encroached into the native customary land that destroyed crops and graves of the Kampung Orang Asli Air Hitam and Tanjung Keruing communities.
Projects involving the clearance of peat swamp forest for an area of 50 hectares or more are also required to be subject to public scrutiny under Schedule 2 of an EIA which need to be publicly displayed. RimbaWatch claimed the EIA is publicly available anywhere on the internet.“RimbaWatch notes that an EIA for 402.33 hectares of oil palm plantation development on Lot PT5783 H.S. 5356 in Kg.
This has prompted calls for the government to reform the way EIAs are approved to beef up safeguards.