Kuantan: The Federal Government's Ecological Fiscal Transfer (EFT) allocation to Pahang has increased to RM24.57 million this year from RM23.22 million last year, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail. He stated that the increased allocation would enable the state government to enhance forest conservation efforts and implement various programmes that benefit the public.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Wan Rosdy expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for heeding the concerns and appeals of the Pahang state government, which led to the increased EFT allocation. He made these remarks after officiating the state-level International Day of Forests celebration themed 'Forests and Economies' at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Teacher Education Institute Campus.
Wan Rosdy noted that the current EFT mechanism offers greater flexibility to the state government, allowing part of the allocation to be used for development projects and other requirements, unlike the previous focus which was primarily on forest conservation activities. He expressed hope for further increases in the EFT allocation to enable more comprehensive efforts in biodiversity conservation and strengthening protected-area management and forest development.
The Menteri Besar reiterated the state government's commitment to preserving its forest reserves, maintaining 57.07 percent of the state's approximately 3.6 million hectares as permanent forest reserves. He emphasized that safeguarding the state's forest resources remains a priority and that development applications, including those involving forest areas, are thoroughly scrutinized based on recommendations from relevant technical agencies.
Wan Rosdy highlighted that the state government generally follows the recommendations of government agencies if they do not recommend an application for approval. Additionally, he shared that Pahang's forestry sector contributed RM117.7 million to the state government's revenue in 2025 through various collections, proving that sustainable forest management can preserve the environment and generate revenue channeled back to the people through state development, public facilities, and welfare programmes.