NGO: Regazette Kuala Langat forest reserve before May 31

Suresh Kumar (second from right) with other activists from PHSKLU after handing in the memorandum at the state secretariat building in Shah Alam.

ENVIRONMENTAL groups want the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR) regazettement to be finalised before May 31 to safeguard the green lung against any change in the Selangor government.

The Defend Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (PHSKLU) coalition, which comprises 15 interest groups, submitted a memorandum to the Mentri Besar’s office on Wednesday.

PHSKLU representative Suresh Kumar Balasubramaniam said the state government had yet to honour its promise despite multiple announcements that it would regazette some 486.2ha area of the forest, which had earlier been earmarked for a mixed development project.

He said there were concerns that the matter would remain unresolved should the Pakatan Harapan-led administration fail to retain power in the state election, which is expected to be held around middle of this year.

“At least three press statements on regazettement have been made since September 2021 but this is yet to materialise.

“We are worried that there may be a change in policies concerning KLNFR if there is a political shake-up at the state level,” he said.

Suresh and several other activists were met at the state secretariat building in Shah Alam after handing in the memorandum.

The state government announced in early 2020 that the 958ha forest was to be degazetted to make way for a mixed development project.

Following public outcry, the proposed area for degazettement was reduced to 536.7ha.

Some 581ha of lands in Sungai Panjang, Ampang Pecah and Bukit Broga were proposed as a replacement forest and the degazettement order was approved.

In September 2021, Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari reversed course and said they would cancel the degazettement order, though a small portion of the forest would remain degazetted.

Some 42ha would be given to the Kampung Orang Asli Busut Baru villagers and another 8.5ha were earmarked for the Sungai Rasau Water Treatment Plant pipeline.

State tourism, environment, green technology and Orang Asli affairs committee chairman Hee Loy Sian, during a state assembly session on Dec 9, 2021, said the regazettement was expected to be finalised by May 2022.

But there has been no further announcements since then.