RESIDENTS in Setia Alam are calling on Selangor government to suspend all road construction and development within the Shah Alam Community Forest (SACF).
Setia Arundina residents’ representative Jeffrey Heng said the demand was among four key points in a 680-signature petition to Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari on Feb 5 at Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Shah Alam.
“The first request is for the state to suspend any road construction and development activities within SACF pending further review,” he said when met during the handing over.
Heng said residents were opposed to the proposed road linking Bandar Nusa Rhu in Section U10 to Setia Arundina in Section U13, which they said was in the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) Draft Local Plan 2035.
“The proposed project, which would become a main route to the Damansara-Shah Alam Elevated Highway (DASH), will cause severe traffic congestion along Persiaran Setia Perdana and Persiaran Setia Duta, especially during morning and evening peak hours,” he said.
Heng said Setia Arundina has only one entry and exit point via Persiaran Setia Duta, raising concerns that residential roads would become highway feeder routes.
He cited Bandar Elmina and Alam Budiman as examples where internal roads became congested after connecting to major highways.
According to another resident, Yeo Phei Shin, Tasik Pasir is located next to Setia Arundina.
“I am worried about flash floods caused by deforestation and development.”
She added that residents discovered construction activities taking place within the forest late last year.
Joanna De Rozario, from Setia Eco Park’s Duta Precinct, said residents were also concerned about increased air and noise pollution.
SACF Society secretary and Setia Alam resident Alicia Teoh said the forest was an important green lung and biodiversity habitat for Shah Alam.
“Constructing a road through the forest would fragment this critical ecosystem, leading to habitat loss, threatening protected species such as the Malayan tapir and reducing air quality for communities around Sections U13 and U10,” she said, adding that it would increase the risk of wildlife road fatalities too.
Teoh said development within SACF appeared to contradict MBSA and the Selangor government’s commitments to sustainable development, climate resilience and green space preservation.
On Aug 4, 2022, SACF Society and Peka Malaysia had jointly filed a judicial review challenging the legality of the May 5, 2022 degazettement notice of the excision of land from the Bukit Cherakah Forest Reserve, which includes SACF.
The High Court dismissed the application, and they subsequently filed an appeal.
The matter was heard at the Federal Court in July 2025, with a decision still pending.
