Another police report was lodged against former Pahang menteri besar Mohd Khalil Yaakub for allegedly exceeding the state's annual logging quota of 28,000 hectares for four years worth at least RM1.5 billion.

Movement for Democracy and Anti-Corruption (Gerak) Pahang chairperson Mohd Zukri Aksah lodged the report at the Kuantan police headquarters last Friday.

Also present were Gerak national chairperson Ezam Mohd Noor and representatives from non-governmental organisations.

This was the third report lodged against Mohd Khalil ( photo ) for exceeding the state's logging quota. Previous reports were lodged by former Berserah assemblyperson Fauzi Abdul Rahman and one Razali Alias in 2001.

The latest report alleged that Khalil consistently exceeded the state's annual logging quota by abusing his position as menteri besar and via his membership of the National Forestry Council.

It said that from 2000 to 2004, Khalil exhausted the state's logging quota worth between RM300 million and RM900 million annually, or between RM1.5 billion and RM4.4 billion in total.

Khalil, who is the current Melaka governor, had handed out the concessions before stepping down as Pahang MB in 1998, it added.

'No longer a secret'

Zukri said the matter is now in the hands of the police.

"I referred to Fauzi's police report made on March 28, 2001 and an ensuing report by Razali regarding these allegations against Mohd Khalil," he said.

Fauzi in his report had said that 'it was no longer a secret' that Khalil, in his capacity as Pahang menteri besar, had approved timber concessions without regards to the quota set by the National Forestry Policy between 1986 and 1999. [See report below]

Fauzi claimed that the Umno liaison office under Khalil's stewardship flouted logging regulations by extracting more than the quantity stipulated in its permit under the National Forestry Policy.

He accused Khalil of 'jeopardising the financial resources and cash flow' of the state of Pahang.

Satellite photos confirm widespread logging on Umno's land