Pahang Govt To Meet NRES Next Week To Discuss River Sand Exports, Management

KUANTAN, May 15 (Bernama) -- The Pahang government will meet the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) next week to discuss the management and export of river sand in the state.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said the discussion is vital to safeguard state interests, ensure the people's well-being, and optimise state revenue.

“This issue should not be turned into a polemic or viewed strictly through the lens of commercial profit. It must be understood in a broader context that includes environmental management, flood mitigation, industrial sustainability, economic opportunities and revenue sources for the state,” he said.

He said this in his winding-up speech on the motion of thanks for the royal address at the Pahang State Legislative Assembly sitting at Wisma Sri Pahang today.

Wan Rosdy said Pahang has also received allocations from NRES under the Ecological Fiscal Transfer (EFT) initiative to support conservation of protected areas and sustainable biodiversity management.

“For 2023–2026, the total EFT funds for Taman Negara Pahang are estimated at RM5 million. Part of this is used for facility repairs, conservation, and strengthening management programmes for protected areas and biodiversity preservation,” he said.

He added that from 2020 to 2025, the federal government provided about RM30.5 million for the national park's operations and administration. Allocations for infrastructure upgrades, facility maintenance, and tourism and conservation development totalled RM9.57 million.

“These allocations reflect the federal government’s continuous commitment to ensuring the effective and sustainable preservation of Taman Negara Pahang,” he said.

Meanwhile, in response to the global energy crisis, Wan Rosdy said the state government has introduced several initiatives, including a Work From Home (WFH) policy and the Pahang Bakti Negeri (BN) Programme, which provides food baskets to those in need.

The state government has also distributed Pahang State Assistance (BN) vouchers worth RM50 each to underprivileged groups for the purchase of basic necessities at participating supermarkets across the state.

-- BERNAMA