Some 25 representatives of environmental NGOs, citizens’ groups and the public appeared at the Selangor state secretariat building this morning, to present a memorandum to Menteri Besar Azmin Ali to voice their objection and suggestions regarding the state government’s recent degazetting of forest reserves.

Azmin’s political secretary Shuhaimi Shafie was present to receive the memorandum on his behalf.

The NGOs present at the event were Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka,) Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM), Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), Save Greenlungs, Say No To Suke (SNTS) and Say No To Dash (SNTD).

Despite the flood of abbreviations filing into the Selangor secretariat building on the ground floor, the nature lovers were clear of their objectives.

“ We wish to voice our disappointment and objection to the Selangor state government over the recent degazetting of forest reserves,” said SNTS chairman Muhammad Agos Abul Hasan Ashari .

“ As Selangor citizens, we laud the Sultan of Selangor’s recent call to ‘green’ Selangor and wish to bring forward the following five suggestions to the Selangor government,” he added.

Agos’ suggestions, which were also listed in the memorandum, are as follows:

An immediate halt to any effort to degazette forest reserves;

    • No further degazetting of any forest reserves in Selangor;

    • A face-to-face meeting with the menteri besar regarding the degazetting issue to understand the situation and find a solution acceptable to all parties;

    • A detailed study to quantify and verify that the actual current total forest reserve areas in Selangor is above 31.56% of the state’s land area; and

    • To undertake efforts to increase the current forest reserve areas, to 40 percent of the land area in Selangor as a start.

    “ The latest response we received from the state government was via verbal communication. They informed us the deadline for the degazetting of the forests has been extended.

    “ We question the wisdom of extending the deadline, even though we have submitted thousands of objections,” he added.

    “That's why we, as a group of NGOs, are coming together to request a meeting (with the menteri besar) to convey to the state government that they do not want development at the expense of the forests,” Agos said.

    Claims of Selangor forest reserves being wiped out have dominated the headlines in the past few weeks, with both sides having their say on the issue.