KUALA LUMPUR – Who stands to gain from the degazetting of the Kuala Langat Utara Forest Reserve?
This is the question that the Selangor government must answer following the cloak-and-dagger way in which it called for a public hearing to hear objections to plans to degazette 991ha of the forest.
Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari had said two companies submitted proposals to develop the forest. They were Titian Jutaria Sdn Bhd and Menteri Besar Inc.
Titian Jutaria’s directors are Raja Muda Tengku Amir Shah and Syed Budriz Putra Jamalullail.
The development would also make way for the East Coast Railway Link (ECRL), covering 9.6ha, he had said.
Yesterday’s town hall held at Amverton Cove Resort in Pulau Carey was fraught with angry stakeholders upset at the short notice and having the session in a remote area at 8am on a work day.
Fellow Pakatan Harapan and PKR lawmaker, Bukit Lanjan assemblywoman Elizabeth Wong pointed the finger at Menteri Besar Inc.
“Who stands to benefit from this? Will Menteri Besar Incorporated get this land cheap? And will a ‘syarikat ali baba’ buy this land before selling it to the developers?” Wong asked Selangor Environment, Green Technology, Science, Technology and Innovation, and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman and Kajang MP Hee Loy Sian who chaired yesterday’s hearing.
“The gazetting of the Kuala Langat forest lists out rights the Orang Asli community have, which includes gathering resources and hunting animals,” Wong said, questioning if these rights would be eroded once the protected status is removed.
Other assemblymen in attendance were Banting’s Lau Weng San of DAP and Sijangkang’s Ahmad Yunus Hairi of PAS.
Wong also made a reference to a speech made by Hee – a fellow PKR lawmaker – in 2019 in which he had said that only three types of projects would use the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve – Tenaga Nasional Berhad infrastructure, water pipes and highways.
Lau’s objection, on the other hand, focused more on the environmental benefits of preserving the current status of the forest reserve.
He said despite the menteri besar claiming that 40% of the forest is degraded, it is still important for environmental stability, flood control, and prevention of soil erosion.
“The importance of the Kuala Langat forest is especially apparent, as it is surrounded by housing areas such as Bandar Saujana Putra, Gamuda Cove, Bandar Rimbayu IJM, Taman Putra Perdana, Cyberjaya dan Kota Seri Langat.
“I propose that the best way to protect the Kuala Langat forest is to maintain its status as a forest reserve, and take steps to preserve it.”
In February, Amirudin proposed degazetting of the forest reserve, saying 40% of it was already degraded due to peat fires and encroachment.
He said to prevent further forest fires, the area could be used for multiple developments.
He had reasoned that the ECRL that could cut through the forest would bring with it development.
Hee, meanwhile, said yesterday the forest areas will be replaced by two blocks of forest reserve in Sabak Bernam and one in Hulu Selangor.
NGOs poke holes in state’s plans
Association for the Protection of the Natural Heritage of Malaysia president Puan Sri Sharifah Sabrina had asked Hee why the state government was so adamant on going through with the project when there had been numerous objections.
It is understood that Sharifah was referring to a petition to save the forest that has garnered 45,179 signatures.
“Enough developments, what we need are rainforests.
“According to satellite images, we have less than 20% of our rainforests. Instead of replacing the forest somewhere else, replant the forest that we have now.”
Also present at the event was Sahabat Alam Malaysia spokesman Dr Rosli Omar who told Hee that the idea of replacing the forest in different zones would be detrimental to the existing ecosystem.
“This proposal of 3 blocks of replacement forest will result in the animals not being able to move.
“When this happens, inbreeding will occur that means genetic diversity of the forest will be affected,” he said.
In the surrounding areas of the forest reserve, there are a few Orang Asli communities and concerns regarding their rights also took centre stage in the town hall.
Hee said none of the areas in the proposed degazzetting included Orang Asli settlements. Nevertheless, the Orang Asli retorted that they will still be affected.
Diana Ross Diaman from the Mah Meri cultural village, which is less than 30km from the forest reserve said their livelihoods might be affected by degazettement.
“We don’t just love the forest but we depend on it.
“We use the forest to get supplies for our handicrafts and carvings, which is our source of livelihoods,” she said.
Village Community Management Council chairman Samsul Anak Senin from Kg Busut Baru said the residents received notice regarding the town hall only a day before.
“This jungle is the roaming area and ancestral land for the Orang Asli in Kg Busut Baru, and we live 50m from the forest.
“The proposed development is not considering our rights. We have planted new trees in the forest, so why does the state government want to destroy it again?
“This is a cruel government,” he said. – The Vibes, September 30, 2020
