Kuala Langat reserve to be regazetted by Hari Raya, says MB

 

Environmental rights NGOs have been calling on the Selangor government to regazette the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve by the end of March. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: The Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve is expected to be regazetted before Hari Raya Aidilfitri, says Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari.

He said 97% will be regazetted as a forest reserve and the remaining 3% for Orang Asli villages.

“A few hundred acres will be used to build Orang Asli villages,” he said at a press conference at the launch of Pasar PJKITA at Sri Damansara today.

Hari Raya falls on the first week of May.

This comes after calls from various environmental rights NGOs to the state government to fulfil its promise to regazette the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve by the end of this month.

A coalition of NGOs recently said that Amirudin should fulfil his promise to regazette the 1,222 acres (495ha) “at once and stop stalling”.

“As it is, the initial degazettement was highly unpopular, with immense protests from Orang Asli communities, Selangor elected representatives, the federal government, and the public,” it said in a statement.

The statement was co-signed by 16 NGOs, including Suaram, the Center for Orang Asli Concerns, the Global Environment Centre, Greenpeace Malaysia, the Malaysian Nature Society and Sahabat Alam Malaysia).

The decision to degazette part of the forest reserve last year came under fire from environmental NGOs and MPs alike, including those from Pakatan Harapan (PH).

State executive councillor for environment Hee Loy Sian was reported to have said the decision to degazette part of the forest reserve was made at an exco meeting in May last year under Section 12 of the National Forestry Act 1984. - FMT