Degazettement of forest reserve to be further discussed at Selangor exco meeting, says state Pakatan leaders

KLANG: The degazettement of the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR) will be further discussed at the state executive council meeting on Sept 8.

This decision was arrived collectively by the Selangor Pakatan Harapan leaders at a meeting on Friday (Sept 3) morning.

In a joint statement signed by the state PKR chief Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, who is also Selangor Mentri Besar, as well as Selangor DAP and Parti Amanah Negara chiefs Gobind Singh Deo and Izham Hashim respectively, the leaders said the outcome of the matter will be known after the exco meeting.

"All parties had aired their views and concerns as well as agreed for the Mentri Besar (Amirudin) to bring the issue to the Selangor executive council meeting for consideration of the matter and its decision," said the statement.

It also added that the leaders had also discussed at length the protest against the proposed Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) at the meeting.

"Selangor Pakatan has taken note that the PJD Link has not been approved by the state government," it added.

Amirudin, Gobind and Izham also said they had collectively decided to reject any efforts made to reactivate the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) road project or anything similar to it.

"The chairmen of the Selangor Pakatan component parties are committed to upholding all of Pakatan's basic principles related to the environment and people-centric as guidelines in all development plans in the state," they said.

Meanwhile, Selangor Muafakat Nasional has also issued a statement questioning the state government's integrity in regards to KLNFR's degazettement.

Signed by Selangor Umno chief Tan Sri Noh Omar and his PAS counterpart Datuk Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi, the leaders said they were saddened the state government had gone ahead with the degazettement in spite of promising to hold the plan for further scrutiny.

They said the degazettement was passed at the exco meeting on May 5 this year and recorded in the Selangor government gazette on Aug 12 and hence it has been enforced.

"The act of putting aside the public protests as well as the loud objections by members of the state assembly and Opposition against it (degazettement) is irresponsible and reflects how the state government, under the leadership of Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, does not meet the integrity stipulated in the Pakatan Harapan Manifesto," they alleged.

Noh and Dr Ahmad Yunus urged the state government to respect and adhere to the people's voices and take measures to cancel the degazettement immediately.

"The state government must always practise proper administration based on integrity to give the people a good and meaningful quality of life as well as protect and defend this beloved state," they said.