KUANTAN: All improvements proposed by the Statutory Framework of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves for Tasik Chini have been addressed in the periodic review report which was submitted to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) in Paris on Sept 27.
State Tourism and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin (BN-Lanchang) said the improvements include implementing the zonal system which covers the core zone, buffer zone and transition zones at the biosphere reserve site.
"Apart from the zones, the Pahang State Parks Corporation was set up with its officers responsible for handling the rehabilitation plans at the lake.
"The newly-established Pahang Biodiversity Council will help preserve the sustainability at Tasik Chini.
"The report (in Paris) was handed by the Pahang delegation, led by state secretary Datuk Seri Dr Sallehuddin Ishak, to the Natural Science and Man and Biosphere (MAB) secretariat's assistant director-general on Sept 27 in France.
"Malaysia's permanent representative at Unesco was present to discuss the MAB programme, so the Pahang government could look into ways to carry out other necessary improvements," he said at the Pahang State Legislative Assembly sitting at Wisma Sri Pahang today.
Sharkar was replying to a question from Mohd Sharim Md Zain (BN-Chini) on the Unesco status of the country's second-largest freshwater lake.
Meanwhile, when replying to a supplementary question from Andansura Rabu (Pas-Beserah) on the setbacks in the rehabilitation efforts and in ensuring no repeat of the past unregulated mining incidents at the lake, Sharkar said previously the forest reserve area was not huge.
"We have ceased all mining activities at the site while the Chini Permanent Forest Reserve has been expanded.
"We set up the Pahang State Parks Corporation to ensure one body will monitor the lake in terms of development.
"Those interested in conducting studies on the wide range of flora and fauna at the lake will now have to seek permission from the Pahang Biodiversity Council," he said.
On Oct 4, Sharkar was quoted as saying that the detailed report on Tasik Chini had been sent to the Unesco office in Paris.
Tasik Chini, measuring 6,922.97 ha, is the first Biosphere Reserve in Malaysia, recognised by Unesco under the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme on May 26, 2009.
In 2019, it was reported that Tasik Chini could lose the biosphere reserve status if no rehabilitation efforts were undertaken.
On Sept 10, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan during his visit to the lake said a report on improvements to the lake would be sent to Unesco soon and the government was confident that the world body would not withdraw Tasik Chini's status as a biosphere reserve.