Come next year, the Johor government is expected to table the state environment enactment to hasten the process of studying nature and determining development in the state.

State health and environment committee chairperson Ayub Rahmat said the enactment is under discussion and studies are being carried out by the Johor department of environment and Johor economic planning unit.

Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Ismail Sultan Iskandar had spoken about Johor needing its own environment enactment.

"We are getting the legal adviser's opinion to gauge its suitability with the Malaysian constitution and laws before Johor implements its own act," he told reporters in Johor after hosting a breaking of fast event last night.

Ayub ( right ) said the state environment enactment is more on the need for environmental impact assessment (EIA) and detailed environment impact assessment (DEIA) on a land development project that might be implemented.

He added applications for EIA and DEIA were previously sent to the federal government for approval, and was said to cause delays to the point of disrupting the development process.

"So, the proposal to create a state environment enactment hopes to allow the Johor department of environment and state government to study the potential of the EIA or DEIA and determine whether a project can or cannot proceed," he said.

The Johor sultan, when officiating the second term of the 13th Johor state assembly sitting last May, suggested that a state environment corporation be formed under the Johor environment enactment as was done in Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak.   

- Bernama

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