[UPDATED] Forest clearing atop treasured Bukit Tabur riles environmentalists, hikers

KUALA LUMPUR – Alarming images of forest clearing at Bukit Tabur in Selangor, home to the world’s longest geological quartz formation, have upset environmentalists, hikers and residents living nearby.

Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka), a civil society group devoted to conserving nature, shared on Facebook photos showing a crane situated near the top of the hill in the middle of tiered clearings close to the treasured Klang Gates Quartz Ridge.

Among the images is one showing garbage, presumably left behind by workers, at the site.

Following the furore, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the state government has nothing to do with the activity, and that the clearing works were not approved by local authorities.

“An enforcement team has gone to the site to stop the activity and seize machinery.”

Untuk makluman saudara yang budiman, kerja-kerja tersebut tidak mempunyai kaitan dengan Kerajaan Negeri dan tidak mendapat kelulusan dari pihak berkuasa tempatan. Penguatkuasa telah pun turun bagi menghentikan aktiviti tersebut dan menyita jentera yang terlibat. https://t.co/Ae3PFD6sBF

— Amirudin Shari (@AmirudinShari) September 11, 2021

Peka questioned how a contractor with machinery was able to reach the top of the hill and carry out clearing works when hikers are prevented from venturing there.

“The condition is that hikers cannot go up, but excavators and ‘invisible’ contractors can clear the forest, for what?” it said in its post.

It said this is another example of how enforcement officials can be given a failing mark.

Facebook user Mohd Syazwan Hassan commented: “It’s disappointing that the iconic Bukit Tabur, with its unique shape of elephants lining up, is treated this way.

“Is this land privately owned, or owned by the state government? If it is personally owned, I would like to know who the owner is.”

Orang Asli native rights activist Shaq Koyok said: “Students all over the world learn about the longest quartz ridge in the world, until they obviously want to visit Malaysia. But many Malaysians still do not care about the natural uniqueness of this geography.”

The matter has also left the public wondering if it is related to the geopark construction tabled in the Selangor assembly last year.

The Vibes tried reaching out to the Forestry Department for comment, but is unable to get a response as of press time. – The Vibes, September 11, 2021