Contradicted Headline: Royal Belum Still Untouched

I find this a very contradicting headline as I was expected to read an article of a 130 million years old forest that was not logged since "ever" being protected from log harvesting in Peninsular Malaysia! 

Just to find out the headline was highlighting that there were no illegal logging activities detected in The Royal Belum Forest, Hulu Perak. No illegal logging being detected does not mean there were no logging was permitted nor human settlement. Aerial survey can detect only phenomenal changes of the area, but not if the logging was done in scatter or small scale. 

I wondered if this article was posted for people questioning why harvesting is permitted in the Temenggor FR that is part of the Belum Forest Reserve. Same question I would have posted to the government whom allows harvesting operation at the buffer of Maliau Basin, the Virgin Jungle Reserve. Or if it is an indication the is a plan to have a log-harvest tperation in this forest area. Hope not!!!

Although the article mentioned that more stringent standard has been imposed on the logging contractors in terms of size of trees felled and proper reforestation program, what worries me is what does it meant with proper reforestation program. Since harvesting in Peninsular Malaysia practices Selective Felling, means selected tree  with sizes allowable for felling and area being harvested should be left AFTER harvesting  for regeneration over a period of time. And, normally reforestation programs are being plan for area that has been degraded and are not able to regenerate naturally back.

From the article posted, I also interpreted that illegal logging is more prone to area that has been open for logging operation. This is probably due to because the roads has been open and it is more easily to access to the forest area.

 
More details about the Royal Belum State Park -Royal Forest

Quoted from the Royal Belum Nature Park website

The entire forest of Belum and Temenggor was considered a ‘black area’ and was placed under a State of Emergency from 1948 until 1989.  The communist party of Malaya was extremely active in that area and according to sources; the East-West Highway proposed by an army General believed cutting a road through the area would hamper the communists’ movements.  However, this road was constantly under threat of being bombed and sabotaged by renegades.  Peace has since reigned over the area after the signing of the Haadyai Accord in 1989

Source: WWF Website

Royal Belum forest reserve is situated northern most corner of Perak, sharing border with Thailand. Quoted from the Belum Outdoor website:

Located in Northern Perak district, Malaysia, the area is surrounded by Thailand border on the northern side, East-West highway on the Southern side and state of Kelantan on the Eastern side. The area shares border with Bang Lang National Park, Thailand and Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand. The Royal Belum State Park was established in the year 2000. In July 2003, the Belum forest was known as “Royal Belum”. Officially gazetted as the Royal Belum State Park on May 3rd 2007. Royal Belum State park has land mass of 117,500 hectares which cover almost 50% of total Belum Temenggor Forest Reserve (300,000 hectares).

 Source: Belum Outdoor Website

Does anyone knows why is it call the Royal Belum? Translate "belum" to English means "not yet", Royal Belum is equivalent to "Royal Not Yet".