Greedy hunters believed to have started forest fire

 

BEAUFORT: The peat forest fire which has destroyed about 70 percent of the Binsulok forest reserve is believed to be the work of greedy hunters.

Beaufort district officer Mohd Shaid Othman confirmed having receiving such information and has handed it over to the police for further investigation.

“We have received information that one of the masterminds of the fire at Binsulok forest reserve was a greedy hunter. They are believed to have set fire to the forest so that the wild animals, especially the deer, can be hunted easily. However, the information we have has been given to the police for them to fully investigate,” he said.

According Shaid, the incident has caused the government to suffer losses of more than RM5 million, when the fire spread to the MESEJ Binsulok agricultural areas developed by the Sabah Land Development Berhad (SLDB) and the Ministry of Rural Development.

In addition, he said the 50 hectares destroyed by the fire has increased the list of people needing assistance under the e-Kasih scheme because many smallholders have lost their source of income.

“These greedy hunters have shattered the dreams and livelihoods of the smallholders who had cultivated oil palm and pineapple in plots ranging from five to 10 acres. For the oil palm smallholders, they would have to wait four to five years for their trees to bear fruits.

“This situation has directly made them to be re-included into the e-Kasih scheme in Beaufort,” he explained.

In the meantime, Shaid thanked the Fire and Rescue Services Department for their untiring effort to control the fire.

Shaid when met by the media yesterday morning, hoped the recent rainfall would help to ease the job of the firefighters involved in fire-fighting operations in the area.

Meanwhile, an integrated operation to put out peat fires in a forest in Beaufort has been postponed since yesterday evening.

Sabah Fire and Rescue Service Department (JBDP) assistant director (operations) Khairul Azuan said the decision was arrived at after the entire area under fire came fully under control and fire remnants could be handled by Beaufort zone JBDP.

He said firemen from Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan who were involved in the integrated operation from March 29 would return to their stations.

However, he said the fire-fighting equipment which were stored at the Beaufort station when conducting the operation would remain there for any eventuality.

“The Sabah Forestry Department will also conduct aerial monitoring tomorrow and aid will be given if requested. The stations must be ready and dispatch fresh firemen when directed,” he said in a statement yesterday.

A total 134 firemen were involved in the integrated operation including from Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan.

 

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