THE Selangor state government will degazette Bukit Cherakah Forest Reserve to avoid the risk of legal action by companies with interests in the area.

Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said the government will continue with the process, which was halted in 2006.

“If the government does not go through with it, it will be faced with a lawsuit as those companies will lose their business opportunities approved by the former state executive council,” he reporters in Shah Alam today.

He said the state subsidiary that had an interest in the property will be asked to not continue with their development except if it involved public interest, such as the construction of roads or cemeteries.

“However, if it involves private companies, we can’t do anything because it was a decision by the previous government. We don’t have any avenue except to be prepared to pay compensation,” he said following a report by a local daily that the forest reserve had been degazetted 22 times since 1924.

Meanwhile, Amirudin said the proposed alignment of the Mass Rapid Transit 3 (MRT3) project that allegedly will affect 90 houses in Taman Kencana, Ampang, without the knowledge of the state government would be brought to the Economic Action Council.

“The matter needs to be discussed with the state government because the alignment needs to be determined by the state government beforehand as it involves land appropriation.

“I am sure the matter will be brought to the Economic Action Council for us to consider the alignment and its impact and problems,” he added. – Bernama, September 5, 2022.