Dear YAB Zambry Abdul Kadir,

Last Tuesday, Nov 25, I went back to my constituency after a week in Ipoh for the state assembly session. While it was good to be back in Kuala Sepetang, I was shocked to see a big part of the Matang mangrove forest completely cleared.

From speaking to the villagers nearby, many of them initially thought it was the usual maintenance or trimming works by the Forestry Department when the clearing work started on Nov 17. However, when they noticed lorries carrying soil to the site, they quickly realised it was not maintenance work taking place, but possibly a new housing project.

All the villagers are now questioning why the area is not gazetted as a mangrove forest reserve. My constituents are asking me how the government can simply release the land title when this is a mangrove forest. I have no answer for all these questions. Sadly, although I am an elected representative for this area, I have not been informed about any construction project.

I tried my best to find out as much as I can. I checked the 2015 Special Area Plan (RKK) for Matang-Kuala Sepetang, and the area is clearly marked as a permanent mangrove forest reserve. So I decided to refer to the Forestry Department and Land Office instead.

From what I have been able to gather, this piece of land was formerly KTM reserve land that was surrendered back to the Land Office a few years ago. There was an exco decision by the state in 2010 to convert it into a ‘Kampung Tersusun’, and apparently, the whole plot of land next to Matang Eco Centre and along Jalan Taiping-Kuala Sepetang will have their land titles given to different individuals.

Unfortunately, this is all the info I have been able to get, so I urge the government to provide the details transparently.

My two main concerns over this ‘Kampung Tersusun’ plan are:

1) Why was this land not gazetted as a mangrove forest reserve as planned in the RKK? And even if it wasn’t, surely it qualifies as a Environmentally Sensitive Area (KSAS)? How can the ‘Kampung Tersusun’ plan not follow the standard SOP and guidelines?

2) What is this ‘Kampung Tersusun’ plan? Why the secrecy? Who is entitled to the land? What was the mechanism of the selection? Why are the residents of the area, especially those in Kampung Baru Kuala Sepetang and Kampung Menteri, deliberately kept in the dark about this plan?

Mangrove forests are one of our most important coastal ecosystems. The three major industries of Kuala Sepetang - fisheries, charcoal production and eco-tourism - all depend on the ecosystem of the mangrove forest. This is going to affect us and our future generation not only environmentally but economically, too.

I recall during the recent state assembly session, you were asked about mangrove forest management in Perak. I stood up and questioned you on the poor performance of Perak in protecting mangrove forests and you proudly declared, “Matang mangrove forest is the best managed mangrove forest in the world!” So I want to ask you: Is this the world’s best standard you are so proud of?

We have the right to more information on what is happening to the mangrove forests in Perak as it affects all of us. I called a press conference yesterday morning to highlight this issue because I take my responsibility to ensure our mangrove forests are well-protected very seriously. I hope you do, too.

I have lodged a police report to further investigate on this matter. I urge the Perak state government and menteri besar to respond to this immediately.

CHUA YEE LING is Perak state assemblyperson for Kuala Sepetang.