After the devastating floods befell Kuala Lipis, Bentong, Mentakab, and Triang in Pahang, a mass sea of timber debris was found in many stricken areas. The Pahang Forestry Department’s conclusion that no legal or illegal activities of logging were found in the region had drawn widespread criticism.
I hereby call upon the federal government to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate if logging activities are indeed the culprit that led to several massive floods in Pahang.
When I was cleaning a house for a victim in Sungai Perdak, I saw a lot of timber debris in many areas, including Kampung Baru Sungai Perdak. All the more so, the wooden debris had clear signs of being chopped. Hence, the Pahang Forestry Department’s denial could hardly convince the flood victims and the general public. Besides, people begin to question if the authorities are forced to hide the truth and protect the mastermind due to political pressure.
After Malaysia suffered the worst floods in decades, the police announced on January 4 that the death tolls from floods had risen to 53: 25 were from Selangor, 4 were from Kelantan, 2 were from Sabah, and 1 was from Negeri Sembilan.
Apart from the death toll and the number of people missing, the asset damages were catastrophic. The houses of numerous victims were destroyed, and thus rebuilding the communities would cost even more.
Given the severity of the “timber tsunami” and the staggering amount of damages, the federal government must set aside political differences and demonstrate strong political will by setting up an RCI to investigate the real causes of floods in Pahang.
Apart from doing justice to the victims and the public, the RCI should also professionally identify comprehensive flood prevention measures. In particular, the short-term and long-term solutions to prevent floods in high-risk areas should be studied and carried out to nip the severe problem in the bud.
Furthermore, given that logging activities are allegedly intertwined with politics of vested interests between the rich and the powerful, the state government and its agencies might face hurdles in probing the matter.
Therefore, I opine that an RCI can investigate the matter independently and transparently while avoiding the external political pressures to leave no stones unturned.