IPOH: There is no pressure to conduct cloud seeding over the Taiping Lake Gardens as it is only a recreational area.
Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said that the Taiping Lake did not serve the same function as the Bukit Merah dam, which provides water for domestic use and agriculture.
"Bukit Merah dam is the water source for agricultural activities, whereas Taiping Lake is solely for recreation.
"Therefore, there is no urgency. Bukit Merah is more critical because it involves irrigation, rice farming and agriculture.
"We cannot prioritise Taiping Lake Gardens, considering cloud seeding is costly. Let nature take its course, conditions will return to normal with rainfall," he told reporters after attending a town hall meeting with Perak's women community.
Taiping Lake Gardens is the first public recreational garden established in the country and features rain trees which are over 100 years old.
Known locally as hujan-hujan trees, the monkey pod tree has the scientific name Samanea saman.
When asked if there is a need to pump water from nearby rivers to fill the lake, Saarani said this, too, was unnecessary.
"This incurs costs. At Bukit Merah dam, we must conserve water as it supports agriculture," he added.
Earlier, it was reported that despite being known as the wettest town in Peninsular Malaysia, Taiping is currently experiencing a drought.
This phenomenon has led to some parts of the Taiping Lake drying up due to the extreme weather conditions.
Pokok Assam assemblyman Ong Seng Guan said the lake began drying up three weeks ago, primarily due to the lack of rainfall.