S’gor govt must clarify Ayer Hitam land deal to regain public trust


MCA Youth stands in solidarity with Selan­gor residents who have been taken aback by the sale of land near Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve, Puchong.

Any decision involving public assets and environmental impact must be handled with full transparency and accountability, whereby Selangor government must inform the masses with a clear explanation.

Publicly available information shows that the 68ha land has been marked for development.

Until today, there has been no ex­­­planation on the sale’s purpose, the price involved or how approval was granted.

Even after several formal letters from elected representatives, no official response has been given.

This is disappointing and raises further concerns over governance and land management.

Elected representatives should be speaking for the electorates they serve.

When more than 7,000 objections have been submitted and no clear answer is dispensed, this is no longer just a development issue; it is a matter of transparency, accountability and public trust.

Development must be done responsibly and safely.

As this project involves land surrounding a forest reserve and possible terrain risks, the state government must release the full environmental impact assessment and planning details to assure residents that their safety will not be compromised.

Selangor government has previously justified swine farm and nursery relocations on grounds of environmental protection and wider development needs.

If that standard applies in those cases, then developments involving forest and green areas must be assessed with the same consistency.

There cannot be one rule for some cases and another for others.

Projects affecting forest land must face more stringent scrutiny and full public disclosure.

That is the minimum standard of fair governance and respect for the rakyat.

We urge the Selangor government to:

• Respond immediately to letters from elected representatives and disclose all details of the land deal, including price, purpose and approval process.

• Publish independent environmental and geological reports to ensure safety.

• Provide a full explanation in the state assembly to restore public confidence.

A mature democracy is not built on slogans about reform and transparency.

It must be proven through actions and decisions.

Avoiding questions or delaying answers will only erode public trust.

Government oversight should never be political. If it is in the people’s interest, every concern deserves a response.

Tan Jie Sen

MCA Selangor Youth Chief

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