Selangor MB urged to heed State Assembly vote to protect forest reserves

 

The Defend the North Kuala Langat Forest Reserve coalition (PHSKLU) has reiterated its call for the Selangor government to abandon plans to degazette the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR).

This came after a motion by Kota Anggerik assemblyperson Najwan Halimi to protect all forest reserves in the state was passed with bipartisan support in the State Assembly on Wednesday.

In addition, PHSKLU said its own campaign to rally support to protect the forest reserve has also gathered steam.

“Any decision to proceed with changing the spirit and status of KLNFR will be shocking, at the very least.

“After such a clear and unanimous message from the people of Selangor and their elected representatives to ‘Keep Kuala Langat Forest as a forest reserve’, we urge the menteri besar and the state exco to withdraw the proposal to degazette KLNFR immediately,” the coalition said in a statement today.

Najwan’s motion came to a vote on the last day of the recent Selangor state assembly sitting and was passed with the unanimous support of all assemblypersons present.

PHSKLU said after the launch of its own public campaign to protect the forest reserve on Oct 29 that nearly 1,500 people have responded to its call to email Selangor MPs and assemblypersons and tell them to throw their weight behind the campaign.

“This is an encouraging step forward for all green campaigns, as it is a first time I am witnessing unanimous support, without objections, for the conservation of all forest reserves in response to development proposals,” said Global Environment Centre director Faizal Parish, whose group is a member of PHSKLU.

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari had previously said that the government wants to develop 930.93ha or 97.1 percent of KLNFR because many trees had become “degraded” and posed a fire hazard.

He said the state would make up for the loss by gazetting new areas as forest reserves and ensuring that the Orang Asli community would not be affected.

Selangor executive councillor for the Environment, Green Technology, Science, Technology, Innovation and Consumer Affairs Hee Loy Sian said Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated (MBI) is the developer for a proposed mixed-development project at the forest reserve.

When the plan to degazette KLNFR went to a public hearing on Sept 30, it was opposed by politicians from both sides of the political divide, as well as the Orang Asli community, environmental NGOs, federal agencies and even a private company. - Mkini