TELUK INTAN, Nov 15 — Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad says the state government will fully adopt the amendments to the National Forestry Act (Act 313) approved and gazetted at the federal level in September as the Forestry Enactment (Adoption) in the state.

He said the Perak government will ensure all state departments and agencies cooperate with the federal government over the matter.

"We will follow what has been decided by the federal government,” he said during a media conference after visiting flood victims housed at the temporary relief centres at Padang Tembak Multipurpose Hall and Chikus Multipurpose Hall today.

Also present were state Women, Family, Social Welfare, Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Committee chairman Datuk Salbiah Mohamed and state Domestic Trade, Cooperatives, Consumer Affairs and Chinese New Villages Committee chairman Woo Kah Leong.

Earlier, the Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad called on all state governments to fully support and adopt the amendments to the Act.

Among the key improvements is the tightening of the degazetting and replacement process of Permanent Forest Reserves (HSK) as well as the introduction of a public investigation process before the degazetting of any HSK and the simultaneous replacement of the degazetted HSK.

Besides that, the maximum fine for forest offences has been increased from RM500,000 to RM5 million and the maximum prison term from seven years to 20 years. — Bernama