PKR veterans group Otai Reformis 1998 is calling for Selangor to appoint an ombudsman from among environmental NGOs to monitor forests in the state.
"Looking at the current situation, Otai Reformis doubts the ability and seriousness of the Selangor government to administer forestry affairs in Selangor.
"Records show that over the past two years, the Selangor government has not taken an approach to maintain the sustainability of the forest but instead is 'attacking' forest reserves as much as possible," said the group's secretary Abdul Razak Ismail in a statement this morning.
"We fear that without the monitoring of economic activities and development of forests in Selangor, one day there will be no more forests in the state of Selangor," he added.
An ombudsman is an independent person or a body, to address and solve disputes fairly and speedily away from the courts or any other legal means.
The group claimed that in the past several environmental NGOs suggested that any activity in large-scale forest reserves or in privately owned forests should be brought up to be discussed and approved in the state assembly.
"But we were informed that the Pakatan Harapan assemblypersons did not 'agree' to bring a private bill on this in the near future.
"We urge PKR president Anwar Ibrahim to take this proposal seriously and implement it immediately since the reputation of the state government under Harapan has been severely damaged due to the incident of giving the Kuala Langat Utara Forest Reserve an area of 1,300 acres last year to a company with a paid capital of RM1," Razak said.
Development rights
The group said State Forestry Department records show that there are 76 forest reserve locations everywhere in Selangor with an area of 250,250.33ha.
"In the Bukit Cerakah Forest Reserve issue, we found four companies with a paid capital of RM2 were also found to be 'awarded' development rights.”
On Oct 7, Otai Reformis made an official complaint to the Selangor MACC in Shah Alam due to a governance violation and negligence on the part of the state government in granting quarry areas to 27 companies without any open tender.
Aside from those areas, the group highlighted Kuala Langat Forest Reserve (South), the Hulu Selangor-Genting Highland border forest and the Sg Panjang Peat Swamp Forest in Sabak Bernam as other locations with developments that need to be looked into. - Mkini
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