(MY) team to explore Ulu Muda forest; letter on ostrich killiing; timber lorries damaging road

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New Straits Times » Letters

 

Team to explore Ulu Muda forest

 

Ridzal A. Latiff

 

ALOR STAR, Sept 5: An expedition involving 80 local scientists and researchers

will explore the Ulu Muda rainforest in Sik, Kedah, in mid-October to uncover

and identify various species of plants and animals.

 

State Forestry Department (recreational forest officer) Norhaidi Yunus said

the105,000-hectare forest, which was technically unexplored, was one of 10

forests in the country which had unique species.

 

He said this was stated in a report compiled by the World Wide Fund for Nature

(WWF) Malaysia.

 

" There are about 132 species of birds in Ulu Muda forest, including the

Red-crowned Barbet, parrots, woodpeckers, ospreys, eagles, babblers, hill myna,

seven species of hornbills and the Hooded Pitta, which is unique to Kedah.

 

" There are also about nine salt licks located in the forest, " he said.

 

Salt licks are hot springs frequented by animals as a source for water and

minerals.

 

The Ulu Muda forest also functions as a water catchment area for the Muda Dam,

the Pedu Dam and also the upcoming Beris Dam.

 

Norhaidi said the State Economic Planing Unit and the State Forestry

Department are taking steps to gazette the 23,000ha of the Ulu Muda forest as a

State park.

 

He said this to reporters who went on a two-day camp at the Ulu Muda forest to

see the eco-tourism potential of the forest.

 

The camp was organised by the State EPU, State Forestry Department, High

Adventure Travel Kedah and Mutiara Pedu Lake resort.

 

 

 

New Straits Times » Letters

 

No reason for such acts of cruelty against the ostriches

 

Sept 6: THE report of the killing of 11 ostriches and an emu at a farm in

Seremban (NST, Sept 3) really shocked me.

 

How low would a person stoop to? There can be no reason to compromise the acts

of such sadistic people. I think they should be condemned to the very confines

of Hell for their cruel act.

 

C.H.M., Subang Jaya

 

 

 

New Straits Times » Letters

 

Timber lorries damaging new road

 

Sept 6: THE fully tarred Bakun-Tubau-Bintulu road was completed last year.

 

The roads are used by people from Belaga, Bakun, Sungai Asap and Tubau.

 

Prior to the completion of the road, people travelling between these

destinations had to take the arduous and dangerous drive along the

timber-logging track, constructed by the timber operators to transport their

logs to Tubau.

 

At present, 40-tonne timber trucks are moving out of the logging track onto the

new road and causing a lot of scary moments for road users. The overweight

trucks are spoiling the road surface and a lot of potholes have appeared.

 

It is imperative that the authorities take some sort of action to arrest this

problem.

 

W.M.S. WAN MOSS Bakun, Sarawak