Seated from left: Jeremiah, Noina, AJ Rimba Collective representative Salina Hussein and Theivanai with other activists at the press conference in Petaling Jaya.
CIVIL societies are calling on Selangor authorities to safeguard the green areas around the National Zoo in Hulu Kelang, after news emerged that land plots there were sold to a commercial entity.
The groups demand clarification following the change in land use of those plots from private sports and recreational facilities to commercial.
They said the change was not stated in the draft Ampang Jaya Municipal (MPAJ) Council Local Plan 2035, which was gazetted in February this year.
A press conference was held on Wednesday (Oct 15) in Petaling Jaya to highlight concerns about the issue.
AJ Rimba Collective lead coordinator Noina Baharuddin said there were concerns that future developments would disrupt the locality, which is classified as an environmentally sensitive area.
“Any developments in these zones pose serious risks for nearby communities, such as landslides and flooding.
“These plots should have been protected through state intervention to ensure they remain conserved for future generations,” she said.
Sited near Ukay Perdana and Bukit Antarabangsa, the area around the National Zoo has seen plenty of landslides and flooding in recent decades.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia legal adviser Theivanai Amarthalingam said that under the Town and Country Planning Act 1976, local authorities were obliged to hold public hearings prior to redesignating any land use.
“This is important to ensure transparency and allow for feedback,” she said, adding that the change in land use might affect public trust in local governance.
Environmental Protection Society Malaysia vice-president Randolph Jeremiah said significant portions of the plots were hilly areas.
“This presents high geotechnical constraints, and further works may threaten the soil integrity there,” he added.
In a report on Monday (Oct 14), Zoo Negara deputy president Datuk Rosly Lana revealed that the plots were sold during the Covid-19 pandemic to help sustain the wildlife sanctuary’s operation and finances.
Left with only RM1mil in savings, the zoo decided to sell the plots which it had owned since 1963, he added.
