Quarries in Bukit Lagong forest 'will harm FRIM's Unesco application'

The quarries that will come up in the Bukit Lagong Forest Reserve will undermine the Forest Research Institute’s (FRIM’s) efforts to apply for the zone to be a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) World Heritage Site, former FRIM director-general Salleh Mohd Nor has warned.

In a press conference in the Hulu Kuang Orang Asli village this morning, Salleh said FRIM is planning to apply for the forest reserve and its surrounding areas as a World Heritage Site under Unesco. 

“If we want to register the Bukit Lagong Forest Reserve as a World Heritage Site, (the quarry activities, photo above) will be considered. It won’t be approved.

“The efforts of the government and FRIM to register it as a World Heritage Site will be stopped by these quarrying activities,” he added.

Malaysia currently has two world heritage sites under the natural category, namely Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak and Kinabalu Park in Sabah.

Meanwhile, the former director general of the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli, Jakoa), Juli Edo, expressed his worry that the culture and beliefs of the surrounding Orang Asli communities would be impacted following the destruction of forests.

Juli described the Orang Asli as the protectors of the forest, but yet when a forest “is taken away”, they are not compensated and they lose everything.

“If the government really wants to develop (quarries), please think of the benefits for the Orang Asli. If not, don’t carry out the projects.”

The press conference was organised by B.E.A.CC.H (Biodiversfy •Environment •Agroecology •Climate Change •Habitats), a coalition of civil society organisations that include Treat Every Environment Special (TrEES), Agora Society, Sustainable Development Network (Susden) Malaysia and others.

Environmental watchdog Rimba Disclosure Project was the first to reveal that the government is allowing more quarries to be developed in Bukit Lagong.

Further investigations by Malaysiakini revealed that several state-linked companies and royalty-linked companies are involved in the quarrying project.

Are quarried sites still forest lands?

Selangor state executive councillor Hee Loy Sian clarified that the quarry companies were selected by the state executive council based on several criteria and the Forestry Department’s recommendations. 

The PKR Kajang assemblyperson explained that the state’s 25-year logging moratorium only covers logging, not quarrying.

However, Leela Panikkar, the director of TrEES, asked whether once the quarrying activities were started, would the quarried sites still be considered forest reserve lands?

“We ask how the state government can still call the quarried areas forest reserves?” Leela said.

Salleh said that the moratorium should cover different forest development projects, not just logging activities.

“I don’t know how to answer the question… Because if you want to quarry in a forest reserve land, you have to cut the forest first.

“Is it possible to carry out quarrying activities without cutting the trees on top of it?” Salleh said.

Needs for EIA and transparency

He also questioned the absence of environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports, even though the areas of quarrying had met EIA criteria.

Leela echoed Salleh’s position and hoped the quarrying projects would be tabled in the state assembly.

“Development proposals in the sensitive areas should be brought to the state assembly so that every assemblyperson and the people will know about the proposals.

“Right now we have trouble… we only realise about the project when it is started. It is too late now,” Leela said.

According to a map obtained and released by the Rimba Disclosure Project, 887 hectares of the Bukit Lagong forest reserve will give way to 27 new quarries.

According to the estimation of TrEES, based on satellite images, there are six existing quarries in the forest reserve and 21 new quarries are to be opened.

However, Hee’s statement made on Oct 31 claimed that there would be 16 new quarries in total. 

The number of quarries estimated by the Rimba Disclosure Project and TrEES seems not to tally with Hee’s calculation.

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