HULU KELANG – Nature lovers were stunned to discover that they have to pay fees to enjoy the serenity of a jungle park of Sg Klang headstream, at the foot of Bukit Tabur quartz ridge lately.
It is learnt that the popular picnic spot with close proximity to Klang Gates Dam has been taken over by private operators since last year for eco-tourism ventures.
With the exception of campers, visitors are now required to pay RM7 (adult) and RM3 (children and teenagers) as an entrance fee – and are only allowed to visit the river bay from 7am to 7pm.
A fee of RM70 is also imposed for day or overnight camping by renting the five-by-five feet spot at the riverside, a stone’s throw away from the dam, since last year’s Movement Control Order (MCO).
When contacted under the pretext of renting plots for a group camping at Taman Warisan, an operator who identified himself only as “Bob” claimed that squatter residents of Kg Warisan in Taman Melawati are the caretakers of the area.
He said they have received the green light from state agencies to develop the area as part of Selangor agriculture and eco-tourism master plan.
“This is private land and anyone who wishes to pass through and visit the river (near the dam) or use our facilities for a picnic, recreational activities and camping must pay the fees,” he claimed.
When asked for documentation to support his statement, the operator refused to do so and stated he would explain further upon confirmation of payment.
Checks at the riverside revealed that emblems of Selangor Water Management Authority, Irrigation and Drainage Department, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council and the Selangor government are being displayed on the signage detailing the fees.
Is Bukit Tabur under commercialisation?
A visitor from Shah Alam was shocked to learn that there’s monetary cost for an afternoon walk at the famous picnic spot.
It is ridiculous to pay RM7 just for me to have a dip in the river.
“This place used to be open for all without having to pay anything,” said the Subang-based fashion consultant Nik Atilla Atasha Shaharuddin, 53, who made her last visit to the river park six years ago.
She is bemused by the sight of Bukit Tabur’s foothills being developed under the guise of eco-tourism.
“It is truly sad that this place is commercialised. I wonder what’s next. Will there be an entrance fee for a jungle hike around the quartz ridge or a log cabin for tourists up there soon?” she pondered.
The decades-old picnic and green retreat near the dam has earned legendary status among Klang Valley dwellers and students wanting to experience nature at no cost and set up camps at the foothill of Bukit Tabur during weekends and public holidays.
A member of Friends of Rivers Selangor and founder of Friends Of Sg Klang Taman Melawati River Three described the headstream near the dam as a treasured site.
“Swimmers could go all the way to the spillway of the dam since there’s a clear pool. At the bottom, there are even native fish species. The river bed has white sand and the area is generally trash free,” said Kennedy Michael.
He pointed out that the legitimacy of the settlements near the dam has been up in the air for the past 35 years.
Before 1988, the only access to the river bay was via the road to the security post of the dam or the main water pipes feeding the Bukit Nanas water treatment plant. There was certainly no one collecting any fees back then.
Clarification is being sought from Selangor Water Management Authority, Irrigation and Drainage Department, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council, Gombak Land and District Office, as well as Selangor tourism, environment, green technology and Orang Asli affairs committee chairman Hee Loy Sian at press time. – The Vibes, July 22, 2022
