PETALING JAYA – Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shaari has hit back at his predecessor Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo who accused him of passing the buck on the degazettement of parcels of land belonging to the Bukit Cerakah forest reserve.
In lambasting Khir, Amrudin said the former should look in the mirror and take responsibility for the matter, which has now turned into a controversy.
“Yes (we have the power to cancel the project) but we will face a lawsuit due to his agreement (during Khir’s administration). He has to look in the mirror,” he said.
“The agreement (on Bukit Cherakah Forest Reserve’s degazettement) has exposed the state government to a lawsuit of up to RM1 billion due to land acquisition carried out in 2008 and so on.
“He said don’t pass the responsibility to the previous administration but he was the menteri besar before this, so he has to take responsibility.”
Yesterday, Khir was reported as being disappointed with Amirudin for apparently trying to put the blame on the previous BN state administration over the degazettement of parts of the forest reserve.
According to Free Malaysia Today, Khir was quoted as saying that the Pakatan Harapan administration, which has governed the state since 2008, has all the authority to halt any development.
Last Monday, Amirudin said the Selangor government will carry out Bukit Cherakah Forest Reserve’s degazettement to avoid the risk of legal action by companies with interests in the property.
He said the state would continue with the degazettement notice to complete the process that was halted around 2006.
Amirudin added the state government will be faced with a lawsuit as those companies will lose out on business opportunities approved by the previous state executive council. – The Vibes, September 13, 2022