ALOR SETAR: The PAS-led Kedah government has failed to answer pressing issues affecting the state during the 90-minute state assembly sitting, said Kedah Opposition leader Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

He said that during the short sitting, the state only managed to answer five questions while pressing issues went unanswered.

“Sensitive questions on the Kolej Universiti Insaniah, entertainment outlets and logging activities were listed far back among the oral questions.

“This clearly shows that the state is refusing to answer our questions,” he said after the state assembly sitting here.

The session which started at 9am adjourned sine die at 10.30am.

Mahdzir also claimed the state was conducting logging activities close to the water catchment area in Pedu.

He said the project known as Ladang Rakyat was being carried out on 500ha of land at Kampung Charuk Batang Padi.

He claimed it was a sensitive area as it was only about 300m from the Pedu Lake.

Mahdzir, who is Muda Agriculture Development Authority chairman, said that although the area did not fall under the water catchment area, the state should have consulted the agency before carrying out the project.

“What we know so far is that 81ha of the land has been cleared for rubber plantation under the pro-ject.

“The land for the project is sensitive, and could cause harmful impact if not carried out properly.”

State Housing, Industry and In-vestment, Public Work, Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry and Biotechnology Committee chairman Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah said the area was downstream to Pedu Lake and thus would not affect the lake.

He said the project was actually for Agro-Tourism activities and would be planted with fruit trees.

“We are also still taking precautionary measures to prevent any impact on the rivers and the surrounding area,” he said.

-The Star-