Kedah wants to expedite land development at Hutan Bukit Perangin

JITRA: The state government will discuss with the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) to expedite land development projects through rubber cultivation at Hutan Bukit Perangin, Wang Perah here.
Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah (pix) said it was to prevent the 20ha of terraced land from eroding and causing problems for the villagers.
"We fear that if the plantation area is not cultivated soon the flow of water will affect plants or paddy fields at the foothills.
"When the landlord gives the right to a third party to initiate the project, it should be expedited to prevent other problems from occurring mainly involving the ecosystem," he told reporters during a working visit to Kampung Wang Perah, Mukim Kubang Pasu here, today.
Meanwhile, Kampung Wang Perah Village Development and Security Committee chairman Abu Bakar Salleh said, many problems have occurred due to the slowness of the authorities to speed up the project, including affecting the river flow and difficulty in working the fields.
Among the affected villages are Kampung Teluk Bendang, Kampung Bukit Berangan, Kampung Bukit Beras, Kampung Wang Perah and Kampung Mak Pap. — Bernama