QuickCheck: Was a now-viral photo of illegal logging taken in protected forest as claimed?

A photo has gone viral online, which claims to show illegal logging in a permanent forest reserve in Perak. Is the claim true?

VERDICT:

FALSE

In a statement on Tuesday (Jan 18), Perak Forestry Department director Datuk Mohamed Zin Yusop said the photo making its rounds on social media was taken in 2019.

Mohamed Zin was referring to a post on social media about logging activities at the Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve in Kuala Kangsar with the tagline “Hutan simpan pun boleh dapat lesen untuk tarah” (you can even get logging licences for forest reserves).

He said the forest in the photos was classified as a production forest, with the state giving logging approval for 80ha in 2018.

He added that the logging licence expired in 2020.

“Logging activities there were carried out in accordance with procedures and rules set by the department,” he said.

Mohamed Zin said the department is of the view that the complainant has been confused by the term “Permanent Forest Reserve” and believes logging activities cannot be carried out there.

“His assumption is inaccurate because under the production classification, logging can be carried out in accordance with procedures and conditions,” Mohamed Zin added.