PETALING JAYA: The Selangor state government has been warned that it will face legal challenges if it proceeds with its decision to degazette 536.7 hectares of the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve for mixed development use.
During Monday’s state assembly sitting, state exco for environment Hee Loy Sian revealed that the government had agreed in May to degazette large swathes of the forest for development.
In a statement this evening, Lawyers for Environmental Rights said “legal challenges will be mounted in the event the state government insists on destroying our ‘permanent’ forests”, and called for the decision to be rescinded immediately.
“It is incredible that ‘permanent’ forests can be degazetted and developed willy nilly by a state government that neither has the interests of the people nor the environment (at heart).”
The group added that development would have “calamitous” effects on the environment, particularly on clean water supply and air quality.
The group said the decision “betrayed” voters in the state, and suggested that the government had intentionally kept the May decision under wraps.
It added: “The people’s faith in these politicians has been rewarded by 536.7 hectares of ‘permanent’ forest being developed into condominiums and shopping malls.”
The decision has been roundly criticised by many for the environmental consequences it could have.
Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari was summoned to meet PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim over the matter today.
“The decision was also never communicated to party leaders. PKR had already told the menteri besar to scrap the idea last year. He has been asked to provide a detailed explanation on the matter in a meeting tomorrow with party leaders,” Anwar said on Facebook yesterday. - FMT
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