COMMENT | 5,700ha developments planned in sensitive Genting forests

COMMENT | In the aftermath of the Batang Kali landslide in Selangor, we, the Rimba Disclosure Project (RDP), would like to highlight that we have found in our investigation that over 5,700ha of Genting Highlands and the surrounding mountain areas appear to have been earmarked for development.

This consists of 5,000ha from the draft Rancangan Tempatan Daerah (RTD) Bentong, 316ha from the draft Rancangan Kawasan Khas (RKK) Genting, 248.7ha for the ongoing Tropicana Windcity development, 125ha for a future LBS Bina development and 14.5ha for the ongoing Pavillion Genting project.

Below are also several proposed developments:

1. The RKK Genting proposes developments in areas directly adjacent to Father’s Organic Farm, the site of the landslide. It also proposes constructing a new road up a separate mountain (Gunung Bunga Buah) and a contiguous development, including high-rise apartments and houses, from Gohtong Jaya to the peak of Genting Highlands and along the Ulu Kali ridge.

2. The RTD Bentong proposes for 5,000ha of mostly mountainous areas east of Genting Highlands and surrounding Janda Baik to be zoned for housing, commercial lots, and other non-forest land uses. This land overlaps with environmentally sensitive area (ESA) rank 1 and 2 zones.

3. The LBS Bina development is located in a forest reserve according to government data. This land also overlaps with ESA rank 1 and 2 zones. 

Meanwhile, the Tropicana Windcity and Pavillion Genting developments are already under construction. The entirety of the Tropicana Windcity project within Pahang is in an ESA rank 1 zone and is already midway through construction, while Pavillion Genting is in a rank 2 zone.

The Department of Environment mandates that: “No development, agriculture or logging shall be permitted except for low-impact nature tourism, research, and education” in Rank 1 zones and “No development or agriculture. Sustainable logging and low-impact nature tourism may be permitted subject to local constraints.” in Rank 2 zones. 

In relation to the tragic landslide which occurred at Father’s Organic Farm near Gohtong Jaya, we are appalled that the government has approved existing projects such as Tropicana Windcity, and is proposing for more sensitive areas to be developed under draft plans such as the RTD Bentong and RKK Genting.

As an issue of public safety, we call on the authorities in Selangor and Pahang to immediately halt all current construction works and permanently abandon the shocking proposals under the RTD Bentong and RKK Genting and reforest all areas which have since been degraded.

Further, in relation to the issue of the licence of the campsite operator, the RDP would like to point out that according to official government data the area the campsite is located in is currently zoned for “perniagaan dan perkhidmatan”.

Therefore, those responsible for this zoning, as well as the authorities who approved a farm in such an environmentally sensitive area in the first place should also be held accountable for gross misconduct.

RIMBA DISCLOSURE PROJECT is an environmental group.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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