DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today demanded that Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam own up to knowledge of illegal logging activities at a gazetted forestry reserve in the state and explain why it was allowed.

"He cannot run nor hide from this. It is time he faces up to it and explain it to the people," he said when contacted.

The reserve is located five kilometres from both the CM's office and the state forestry office.

"The logging (which is believed to have begun six months ago) could not have been carried out without the tacit approval of the CM. It has been going on right before his very eyes," Lim charged.

Yesterday, the DAP leader took reporters to the 164ha Bukit Beruang forest reserve, one of eight gazetted forest reserves in the state, to expose the activities of illegal logging conducted there.

"It is the only forest reserve left in the state's central region. If they take this away, it will tantamount to a breach of promise, by the CM, that state forest reserves will be protected.

"The prime minister has also promised to curb activities of illegal logging in the country," he said.

Commercial value

It was reported today that big trees with commercial value have been felled while burnt logs were piled in a corner of the reserve, which is located in the midst of a township.

New Straits Times quoted a land developer living near the area as saying that he saw "many big trees with commercial values, such as 'Bintagor' felled" over a month ago.

The reserve is said to now only house smaller tress which do not posses any commercial value.

The Malacca forestry office and the CM have yet to release a statement on the matter.

The revelation in Malacca is similar to a recent case where the Bukit Cahaya Agricultural Park in Selangor was completely cleared - for a development project.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had visited the Selangor site during the controversy and condemned the loss of thousands of tress in the area.

He subsequently urged the state authorities to hand over the 800ha land to the federal government. The suggestion, however, was objected to by the Sultan of Selangor.

The lack of protection accorded to forests in Malaysia - from the authorities - has received heavy criticism from environmentalists.

The authorities are accused of being more prone to prioritise development.