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In the Sungai Pahang area, where the Sungai Tembeling meets the Sungai Jelai, a recent media report revealed that part of the riverbed near Maran has become exposed as the water level drops. A group of environmental conservationists have challenged the government of Pahang to conduct a public inquiry into the process of designating protected forests.

Rajesh Nagarajan, President of the Malaysia Association for the Protection of Natural Resources (Peka), stated that the state government should also make clear the criteria used for designating protected forests and open the process to public scrutiny. "Reveal the criteria. Tell the public which forests are being protected, why it is being done, how much area is involved, the developments planned and the impact on the environment," he said in a statement.

Rajesh criticized a recent statement by Pahang's Chief Minister, Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, who claimed that the state has its own criteria and procedures for protecting forests, which have been working well so far. "Peka does not question the state's authority over land and forests," Rajesh said, "but if the state is confident in the process, there is no reason to reject a public inquiry."

He also questioned why the public has not been involved in decisions that could lead to a forest losing its protected status. "Don't just say, 'We have a procedure,' and expect the public to accept it without any questions," Rajesh said. He added that the exposure of part of the Sungai Pahang, the largest river in the peninsula, is a warning sign of increasing pressure on the state's river systems.

While Peka does not blame the exposure solely on forest protection, Rajesh said the state government should conduct an open investigation into the relationship between deforestation, land use change, logging, land grabbing, and river health.