Environmentalists gather outside Petaling Jaya City Council headquarters to protest development in Bukit Gasing.
PETALING JAYA: Environmental activists are calling for an immediate end to development at Bukit Gasing to protect the iconic hill.
Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka), Petaling Jaya residents and Bukit Gasing hikers held a peaceful protest outside Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) headquarters this afternoon (June 16),
They also handed over a memorandum to MBPJ representatives, urging that the city council halt all development on the hillside.
Peka secretary-general Vimala Raghavan said bungalows are being built on the hill, and some have carried out extensive land clearing.
“Drone images, which we’ve shared on our social media page, show how much land has been cleared.
“With heavy rainfall expected at the end of the year, it may worsen soil erosion,” she said.
Lawyer and environmental activist Rajesh Nagarajan said MBPJ has a responsibility to protect the hill.
Hiker and Petaling Jaya resident Judy Chua said more monkeys are venturing out in search of food.
"Their natural habitat is being cleared, and there's no food left inside the forest."
Another hiker, Shelly Leong, said land below the hill’s water reservoir has been cleared.
“We don’t want any form of development in Bukit Gasing."
Both Vimala and Rajesh submitted the memorandum to an MBPJ representative at the council lobby.
The memorandum urged MBPJ to issue a stop-work order for all ongoing developments.
It also called on MBPJ to make public any approvals granted for development projects.
Additionally, the memorandum requests that an independent geological study be conducted to assess the hillside and its biodiversity.
