KUALA LUMPUR – The Green Party (PHM) has expressed its disappointment with the Pakatan Harapan-led Selangor government and warned of electoral repercussions following the Selangor State Development Corporation’s (PKNS) plans to develop 87ha of the Bukit Cherakah forest reserve in Shah Alam.
In a statement, today, PHM’s secretary Abdul Razak Ismail said their concerns were based on reports that PKNS’ plans to develop a mixed housing development comprising of shop lots and a commercial business centre known as Bandar Sierra Alam, which are being protested by two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) namely Association for the Protection of Natural Heritage of Malaysia (Peka) and Shah Alam Community Forest (SACF).
Both NGOs, he said, have been conducting recreational activities including hiking in the forest reserve which has been publicised by the local media since last year.
Razak said both Peka and SACF have since filed for a judicial review against the Selangor government for the alleged “backdating” of the degazetting of the forest reserve, which was reported to have been approved by the previous administration under former menteri besar Khir Toyo in 2000 (23 years ago) and had quietly gazetted 406ha the forest reserve on May 5, last year.
“However, in November last year, the Shah Alam high court had dismissed the application for leave by Peka and SACF against the Selangor government and several other defendants.”
“The lawyers for the plaintiffs, Messrs Raj and Sach, will be filing a stay application pending the appeal at the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya tomorrow to prevent the project from continuing and avoid damage at the forest reserve.
“PHM would like to remind the Selangor menteri besar, who is also PKNS chairman, last year, had ordered PKNS to stop any earthworks at the forest, in addition to the plaintiff having now filed an application for the case to be heard at the Court of Appeal, Putrajaya.
“At the same time, SACF has launched a petition among its 16,000 Facebook members and has managed to collect over 105,000 signatures from the public protesting the destruction of their community and recreational forest,” he said.
PHM, he said, warned that the state government’s indifference to public protests, especially the local community living close to the forest reserve, who are also voters in the Kota Anggerik state seat could lead to the rejection of the PH candidate as a sign of protest during the upcoming state election. – The Vibes, February 26, 2023
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