KOTA BARU: The government is confident the report on improvements made at Tasik Chini Biosphere Reserve in Pahang will fulfil the criteria set by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said the report was completed recently and is expected to be sent to the Unesco committee in Paris, France, soon.

"I visited Pahang on Sept 10 and was informed by the state that the report on improvements of Tasik Chini had been completed and be sent to the committee of the organisation (Unesco) in Paris soon.

"We (federal government) are highly confident that the report will meet the criteria set by Unesco," he said. 

Takiyuddin, who is Kota Baru MP, said this after launching the Kota Baru cheap sale carnival here today.

Tasik Chini's biosphere reserve status came under threat as the lake failed to fulfil the criteria to be part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

Unesco has given Malaysia until Sept 30 to inform the world body about plans to treat and restore the lake and its surroundings.

Tasik Chini became the first site in Malaysia to be accorded biosphere reserve site recognition by Unesco, under its Man and the Biosphere programme, on May 26, 2009.

The site measures 6,922.97ha.

Apart from Tasik Chini, Malaysia also received Unesco recognition for the Crocker Range in Sabah on June 12, 2014, and Bukit Bendera, Penang, on Sept 15 last year.

On today's programme, Takiyuddin said it was aimed at reducing the burden on the needy in his constituency.

"The allocation for the programme was funded by the federal government by providing subsidies on 10 daily essential items.

"This programme was part of the RM530 billion allocation for various packages from the federal government to help the people who were affected by Covid-19 pandemic," he added.