THE Kuala Langat North permanent forest reserve is considered an “environmentally sensitive area” in the Selangor Structure Plan 2035, a document to guide development in the state.

The forest reserve’s (HSK) special status is further reinforced in the Kuala Langat local plan 2018 (RT2018), which details proposed land use at district level.

Both documents recommend the forest be conserved because it is an important water catchment area for southern Selangor and is a store for atmospheric carbon, helping to reduce global warming.

Civil society groups are now questioning why the Pakatan Harapan-run Selangor government is violating its own planning document by moving to allow the forest to be cut down for development.

This follows Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari’s announcement that 930ha of the forest will be degazetted as an HSK and that it will be open for logging, clearing and development.

During the public hearing phase for RT2018, environmental groups came forward to give public input on why the forest should be protected, said Leela Panikar of Treat every Environment Special (Trees).

Trees has taken part in numerous public hearings on the environment and spearheaded opposition to the East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE), a project cutting through the Ampang forest.

“The public consultation was completed and RT2018 classifies the forest as an environmentally sensitive area,” Leela told The Malaysian Insight.

“So why go through the whole public hearing process for RT2018 and now contradict yourself by saying the forest must be developed to stop forest fires from breaking out?”

On February 21, Amirudin said that 40% of the forest is depleted and that it no longer has any characteristics of a forest reserve.

He also said it frequently caught fire, so the state wants to degazette to allow for development.

SSP2035 lists Kuala Langat North and Kuala Langat South forest reserves as peat swamp forest, which stores and channels water to other areas.

It goes on to say that peat land is classified as an environmentally sensitive area and that all such land should be conserved based on importance.

“The conservation of peat land is necessary to maintain ecological balance. Peat land areas are important natural water reservoirs, a source of underground water, a carbon sink and able to stabilise the surrounding environment and slow down global warming.”

“In RT2018, the forest remains gazetted as a permanent forest reserve. So why is the state government now going in the opposite direction?” Leela said.

The Malaysian Insight is attempting to contact Selangor environment officials for a response.

Trees and a coalition of civil society groups are starting a campaign to block the Selangor government’s attempt to degazette the forest and open it up for development.

On February 5, the Selangor Forestry Department placed a notice in a newspaper inviting stakeholders in Kuala Langat to voice their objections to the proposal within 30 days.

By state law, public opinion must be sought before any attempt to degazette a forest reserve begins.

A Straits Times story alleged the bulk of the land, 567ha will be awarded to a private company called Titian Jutaria, while 364ha will be developed by state government-linked company Menteri Besar Inc. – February 23, 2020.