Assemblypersons from both sides of the political divide have voiced their opposition to the Selangor government’s proposal to degazette most of the Kuala Langat (North) forest reserve for a mixed development project.

At a town hall meeting in Pulau Carey this morning, PKR Bukit Lanjan representative Elizabeth Wong (above), PAS Sijangkang representative Ahmad Yunus Hairi and DAP Banting representative Lau Weng San were among the many who stood up to air their views.

Addressing her speech to town hall chairperson and Selangor executive committee member Hee Loy Sian, Wong stressed her “disappointment” over the plan especially as the reserve was one of the four remaining peat swamps in the state.

She also questioned if state-owned firm Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) was the “real developer” behind the project.

Wong then quoted Hee from his 2019 speech in which he assured forest reserves in Selangor would only be developed for Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) infrastructure, Air Selangor pipeworks and highway projects.

“I believe in you (and) I will stand behind you to fight them. YB (Hee) and all the excos, do not be afraid. We must have the courage of conviction.

“We have been voted in here to change; we want change. We cannot be like the governments before (us).

“Let us use our political power and courage to stand by YB (Hee) and also the Selangor government to oppose the degazettement of this forest reserve,” she said to applause from the floor.

Hee (above, standing) chairs the committee on environment, green technology, science, technology, innovation and consumer affairs.

The PKR man also heads a multi-agency committee tasked with handling public feedback on the plan to degazette the Kuala Langat (North) forest reserve.

Forest still lost after ‘replacement’

Ahmad Yunus was similarly against the project and urged the state government to focus on empowering nearby Orang Asli communities instead.

Four Orang Asli villages previously protested the plan as they would no longer be able to rely on the forest reserve for their food, medicinal and cultural needs.

“I hope this decision (to degazette) will not be rushed, and that it will be reviewed.

“I think we should improve the Orang Asli’s quality of life first in terms of their education and economic development...

“And I hope we appreciate the Orang Asli who make the forest their source of life,” Ahmad Yunus (below) said.

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari previously explained that the government wanted to develop the forest reserve as many trees had become “degraded” and now posed a fire hazard.

He also assured that this loss would be made up by gazetting new areas as forest reserves.

During today’s town hall, Lau said he disagreed with this “parallel replacement” idea as the proposed new forest reserves were located far away in Sabak Bernam and Ampang Pecah.

Thus, he said Kuala Langat Orang Asli and residents would no longer have access to a forest reserve near them.

“We will lose this resource forever. This is a forest reserve right at the heart of the Kuala Langat township. Even if it is replaced by gazetting somewhere else, I think this is not a fair comparison because we would have lost it.

“I think the best way to protect the Kuala Langat (North) forest reserve is not by degazetting it but working hard to maintain its status quo as a forest,” he added.


 

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