The nurseries (located in between residential homes) along Persiaran Tropicana (top right corner) have been ordered to vacate the land which is part of the Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
SOME 40 nursery operators clustered together in an area off Persiaran Tropicana in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, have been ordered to vacate by Dec 30.
The area is part of the Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve.
The eviction notice, dated Nov 27, was served to the operators in person on Dec 3 by Selangor Forestry Department (JPNS) officers.
Issued under the National Forestry Act 1985, the notice alleged that the operators were occupying forest reserve land illegally.
The operators are being accused of farming, constructing buildings and conducting farming-related activities on permanent forest reserve land without permission.
A Methodist church and a Hindu temple located nearby were also given the same notice to vacate.
However, the nursery operators argued they have had permission from JPNS since 2006 to use the land, but were unable to renew their yearly permits since 2021.
“Since 2021, we have been trying to renew our permission permits from JPNS but we were told that they would not process our applications,” said nursery operator K. Alan.
“The following year, my application was rejected without reason.”
Despite this, he said the operators still tried to renew their permits with JPNS and had no issues renewing their business licences with the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).
Another operator, who only wanted to be known as Ah Seng, said his family had been tending to the land for the last 18 years.
“Since we first obtained permission from JPNS, we also took it upon ourselves to clear the land, which was unusable then, and turned the area into an enterprise that is now our livelihood and beneficial for the community,” he said.
When met at the site, some operators told StarMetro that JPNS could not process their applications for technical reasons.
“I was told by one officer that this was because the land was in the process of being transferred to the (Petaling) land office,” said one operator.
Some, like Ah Seng, had previously been relocated from the Selangor Green Lane in Sungai Buloh to make way for the Damansara-Shah Alam Highway (DASH) project.
“There were a few of us who were relocated from the Selangor Green Lane after spending 20 years there because of the DASH project, and now we are being told to move again without being given any reasons.
“The investments into the land and businesses amount to millions of ringgit for some, and it would all go to waste if we have to vacate,” Ah Seng said.
“It was a real shock to us when we received the letter. It is less than a month’s notice and for some of us, there is simply no way we can clear out the area within the deadline,” he added.
Most of the nurseries have also taken in a significant amount of stocks to meet demand for the upcoming Chinese New Year festive season, but are uncertain where they could place their incoming stocks.
The nursery operators say they are willing to pay rental if such an arrangement could be formalised.
“The activities are environmentally friendly, and we are promoting green practices and providing a service to the community,” said T. Kumar, another operator.
A few operators representing the group also submitted a letter to Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, state executive councillors Datuk Izham Hashim and Datuk Ng Suee Lim, to intervene.
JPNS and Selangor Land and Mines Office did not respond to StarMetro’s request for comments at press time.
