Any logging activities allowed in Selangor now is for the purposes of clearing and not for commercial purposes, Selangor state executive councillor Elizabeth Wong said.

She was stressing the point made by Selangor Forestry Department director Mohd Puat Dahalan yesterday, where he explained that while the state had enforced a moratorium on all logging activities since 2010, exceptions were made in several areas gazetted as permanent forest reserves and only for purposes of projects that constitute public or national interests.

Wong then specifically referred to the allegations made by Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) chairperson Badrul Hisham Shaharin that the state government had awarded logging contracts without going through an open tender process.

"It should be noted that the allegations by Badrul Hisham about the two contracts that were supposedly 'wrongfully' awarded has no basis.

"It goes in the category of cutting trees for clearing purposes and not commercial logging," she said in a statement today.

She pointed out that cutting and moving trees and such cannot be avoided for public interest projects.

Even so, there is a procedure they follow for such activities, including monitoring the area, companies and tagging of the trees.

All of these is under the purview of Selangor Forest Management Committee (JPPNS), who provides advice through their expertise to relevant members of the state government.

Not only that, she explained, for every tree that is cut for cleaning or relocation purposes, the state government has set a compensation rate.

"Selangor has the highest (compensation) rate in Malaysia as a deterrent and to restore the trees and forests," she said.

She also refuted Badrul Hisham's ( photo ) claims that the two cases has elements of corruption or abuse of power, saying that any decision made in relation to logging and cutting of trees is made collectively and based upon the recommendations of JPPNS.

Hopefully, her explanations and the statement from the Selangor Forestry Department has answered Badrul Hisham's accusations, she said.

"So, Badrul Hisham should now stop all accusations against the Selangor government immediately.

"At the same time, we have also referred to our lawyers for legal action," she said.

Last week, Badrul Hisham had claimed to be in possession of a "confidential letter" that purportedly proved the state government had awarded logging contracts without going through an open tender process.

He had also claimed that the documents pertained to land-clearing contracts in Chubadak and Mahkota Cheras, where electricity pylons are to be built by TNB.

Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali had dismissed the allegations as mere "lies and slander".