KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 29): The Energy and Natural Resources Ministry (KeTSA) has achieved a new milestone in forestry management with the adoption of the Malaysian Forestry Policy 2020 which involved consultations among the three regions in the country, namely the Peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak.
Its Minister Datuk Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, in a statement today, said the policy outlined a clear objective for the forestry sector to face new challenges at the domestic and international levels.
He said the matter was agreed upon today during the 78th National Land Council Meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, held via video conferencing, which saw eight papers tabled on several important policies pertaining to land and forestry.
“The meeting also agreed that the Peninsular Malaysia Forestry Policy 2020 (DPSM 2020) will replace the National Forestry Policy 1978 (Revised 1992) which is applicable to the Peninsula,” he said.
According to Shamsul Anuar, Muhyiddin, in his address, said it was time for the country to look at the impact of industrial development on the natural resources sector in the context of human survival and conservation of natural resources.
Therefore, KeTSA and the Environment and Water Ministry have been directed to recommend to the government the immediate and practical solutions on the issue of quarrying activities in Permanent Forest Reserves and other forest areas which serve as wildlife reserves, Orang Asli and local community settlements, water catchment areas, and other environmentally sensitive areas.
Shamsul Anuar said the meeting also agreed on the National Forestry Bill (Amendment) 2020, except for the proposed amendment on the provision of conducting public investigations and the need for simultaneous replacement of Permanent Forest Reserve which was gazetted out.
He said the MTN also agreed on the National Land Code (Underground Land) (Application Forms)(Amendment) Regulations 2020 and amendments to the fifth schedule of the Strata Titles Act 1985 (Act 318).
“We also agreed on the proposal to formulate the Kampong Bharu Land Act and Repeal of the Malay Agricultural Settlement (MAS) Rules Kampong Bharu (Kuala Lumpur) 1950.
“The MTN also took note of the implementation of the Greening Malaysia Programme via the 100 Million Trees Planting Campaign 2020-2025 by KetSA with the theme ‘Greening Malaysia: Our Trees, Our Life’, which aims to plant 100 million trees across the country by 2025,” he said.
Shamsul Anuar said another important matter tabled at the meeting was on the enforcement of the Access to Biological Resources and Benefit Sharing Act 2017 (Act 795) which provides clear guidelines to users and biological resources providers in accessing biological resources including traditional knowledge and benefit sharing.
He said the Prime Minister also suggested that space technology be used in natural resources management after the meeting was informed on the use of technology for land monitoring purposes by the Malaysian Space Agency under the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to assist in increasing the effectiveness of government agencies’ services through the application of new time- and cost-saving technology.