Otai Reformis secretary Abdul Razak Ismail claimed that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) state government was not committed to preserving or defending the lone remaining forest reserve in Shah Alam.
An investigation by an NGO interested in protecting the SACF found there was “no record” that the area had been de-gazetted for development, Abdul Razak told FMT.
Otai Reformis members were also unhappy with tourism and environment exco member Hee Loy Sian’s explanation on the proposed development, which he blamed on the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) state government despite the 99-year lease for the land being given to a company in August 2020 by the PH government.
“We are also not satisfied with the stand of Hee, who repeatedly said that this ‘mistake’ was made by the previous Umno-BN government when we found that Lot 57621 Bukit Cherakah forest reserve (which is owned by the Selangor state government) had been given 99-year lease by the PH government,” Abdul Razak said.
“What does it mean when the people elect PH in Selangor for almost three terms, but state executive councillors are still blaming the previous government as a way to cover up their inability to resolve the issue,” he said.
Razak said his group also urged Anwar, as PKR president, to instruct fellow PKR member and Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari to “immediately stop” forest clearing activities and earthworks in forest areas in Section 10, Shah Alam, claiming soil erosion had affected a nearby lake.
“The water in the lake is murky like ‘teh tarik’, and locals are worried about floods in the near future,” he said.
On Sept 24, Hee explained that a development project near SACF took place outside the permanent forest reserve.
He said 9,642 hectares were gazetted as a permanent forest reserve in 1909 but had undergone several amendments since 1976 to allow for development.
Currently, the remaining Bukit Cherakah forest reserve is 1,298.86 hectares and is still managed by the Selangor forestry department as a “protected forest”.
Environmental NGOs and Otai Reformis said they had referred the matter to lawyers and the Malaysian Bar, who confirmed that the Bukit Cherakah forest reserve and the SACF still had their forest reserve status.