NGOs want govt to gazette Bukit Persekutuan as a heritage site

 

The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (Icomos) have called on the government to gazette Bukit Persekutuan as a heritage site to freeze developments within the vicinity.

The two NGOs said at a press conference today that the government should protect what is left of the urban forests in Kuala Lumpur to stop unsustainable and rampant overdevelopment.

In a gazette that they proposed, MNS and Icomos stated that they want the government to create an urban forestry department and push for more legislation to alleviate climate change.

They also suggested to the authorities to build canopy walks and pedestrian bridges to link Bukit Persekutuan (Federal Hill) to Taman Tugu and Taman Botani Perdana.

Former Forest Institute of Malaysia director-general Salleh Mohd Nor, who also served as MNS president, said the mobilisation was made in the wake of the Batang Kali tragedy last Friday (Dec 16) that claimed the lives of 24 people, with nine victims still missing.

“Mother nature cannot be blamed because we know that construction and building developments played a major part in that landslide.

“Now, the residents of Bukit Persekutuan live in fear that a similar incident may happen in their area,” said the veteran forester.

Bukit Persekutuan has had a string of minor landslides within the vicinity - the most recent being in December 2021 near Bangsar Indah Condominium as a result of the flash floods.

A tourist walks along Bukit Persekutuan

Fortunately, there were no casualties in that erosion but the condominium and several houses were damaged, which left a few of the residents temporarily displaced.

According to MNS, trees are often being uprooted in the Bukit Persekutuan vicinity, which disrupts the stability of the soil. Also, the drainage system in the area is poorly installed and not regularly maintained.

Additionally, the two NGOs alleged that there is a retention pond near SMK Bukit Bandaraya that was bought over by a private development company, further worrying the residents as that portion of the region is flood-prone.

“If they build over the retention pond, then where will the rainwater go? Every time it rains, half of Jalan Maarof becomes flooded,” Salleh said.

MNS revealed that it has received support from Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad as well as Communications Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil. The latter is also the MP of Lembah Pantai, a constituency under which half of Bukit Persekutuan falls. 

However, Nik Nazmi and Fahmi stated that they want Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to acknowledge the move as well because the region also comes under the Federal Territory. - Mkini