Green Party: Expedite probe into Bukit Lagong quarry controversy

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been urged to instruct the MACC to expedite its investigation into the Selangor government over approvals given to companies to open 27 quarries at the Bukit Lagong Forest Reserve in the state.

When contacted, Green Party Malaysia (TGP) pro-tem secretary-general Abdul Razak Ismail said it is the right time for the prime minister to eliminate the alleged corruption within the Pakatan Harapan-led state government.

"Anwar spoke of a handful of government officers involved in corruption.

"During his tenure as the opposition leader, we wrote to Anwar and urged him to take appropriate action by carrying out an internal investigation to identify if there is an abuse of power, given that Selangor is helmed by Harapan and PKR.

"But there was no reply from Anwar. He is now the prime minister and I think it is better for him to get the MACC to conduct a proper investigation," Razak (above) said.

First report to MACC lodged in 2022

Razak, who first lodged a report with Selangor MACC in his capacity as the secretary of PKR veterans group Otai Reformis 1998 in October 2022, said he was told that the case had been transferred to the MACC headquarters.

Razak has then joined the TGP, a political party with an environmentalism focus.

Earlier today, he submitted a memorandum to the MACC headquarters as a move to follow up on the investigation progress by the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya.

"Our intention being here is to send a memorandum to the MACC as part of our follow-up action. 

"We had lodged a report in Selangor MACC in Shah Alam three months ago, related to the (alleged) violation of standard operating procedures by the state government and Selangor Forestry Department," Razak told the media after he handed over the memorandum.

During the Selangor legislative assembly sitting in 2010, the state government approved the 25-Year Moratorium Policy, which bans any kind of deforestation activities at forest reserves from 2010 to 2035, he said.

However, the Selangor state government had used a provision under Section 28 of the Selangor Forestry Act to permit the taking of forests by way of a “minor licence”.

This showed that the state government used a 'back door' to allow land clearing and logging at the forest reserve, involving a total land area of 887ha, to make way for quarry activities, he said.

In September 2022, Malaysiakini reported that quarries were going to be opened up in the Bukit Lagong Forest Reserve.

Among the companies involved include three developers that are linked to the Selangor state government. Strong criticisms from many people, including activists and politicians, have since been raised against the land clearing and logging.

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