BY: Michelle Liew
The Selangor government has just recently announced that it will no longer proceed with its controversial plan to develop the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR). The plan had previously been met with widespread criticisms from the public, with many taking it to social media to urge the state government to reconsider its objectives.
The decision was made during the state executive council meeting on September 8, 2021.
Following the decision, the Selangor government will now commence the process of re-gazetting the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve. Such was mentioned in a statement by Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.
“The state government will stop its plan to develop the area and will cancel the move to give ownership of the land to the company involved. We would like to emphasise that all previous de-gazettement processes have followed all procedures and procedures stated in accordance with the law,” stated the Selangor MB.
“At the same time, 581.1 hectares of forest land that was initially supposed to replace the degazetted (KLNFR), in Sg Panjang, Ampang Pecah and Bukit Broga, will remain as a permanent forest reserve,” he adds.
As such, only 104 acres out of the total 1,326 acres of the KLNFR will remain degazetted in order to complete the land ownership to Busut Baru Orang Asli village to resolve issues that have been pending since 2006. They were relocated from their original settlement in 1994 for the construction of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
The Selangor government will also be considering “a small portion of the area” to remain unoccupied for the purpose of consideration of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) alignment.
The accountability taken by the state government was met with positive comments.
