Source : The Star, Malaysia, 24 Jan '05
By : Kuldeep S. Jessy
  

State Agriculture, Agro-based and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Radzi Manan said mining would destroy the lake and the natural habitat of the birds there.

He said the operator would be directed to stop all activities, including the construction of a tin dredge at the former mining pond at Kampung Pisang here.

The state government, he said, had started the process to gazette the nature park, which is also known as Taman Alam, as a wildlife sanctuary.

“On Friday, when I questioned the Kinta district officer, he told me that only one permit was issued to mine at Kampung Changkat Belulang, but that is about 1.9km from here,” he said.

Radzi said he had directed the district office to carry out an immediate investigation to find out the status of the land here and the mining activities and hoped to get a reply by today.

He was speaking to reporters after visiting the nature park yesterday with state Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) director Shabrina Mohd Shariff and Sungai Rapat state assemblyman Hamidah Osman.

The group saw a tin dredge being set up at the second pond of the park and was convinced that the operator was preparing a dredge concept of mining activity.

“It looks like the mining operation is inside the park area as one of the rest areas for the park built by the Kinta district office is located outside.

“Even if a mining certificate had been issued for this location, we will meet the operator and ask that the mining activity be relocated.

“It took many years to develop the park into a beautiful place and a sanctuary for birds,” he said, adding that once destroyed, the birds would stop coming to the park.

On Jan 16, The Star reported that mining activities looked set to begin at the bird sanctuary, which had yet to be gazetted as a wildlife sanctuary.

The park is said to have 129 bird species, including 70 that were accorded “Totally Protected” status under the Wildlife Act 1972.

A heronry with over 2,000 birds is also found on one of the many islands in the park.

Earlier, Radzi said that the State Tourism Action Council would give RM10,000 as a start to Perhilitan to upgrade the present facilities such as the observation towers, a viewing platform and several shelters and add new facilities, including barbeque sets for the public.

The state government, which administered the park earlier, handed management over to Perhilitan last month.