Stop degazetting forest reserves for development: NGOS

SHAH ALAM: Six environment-based, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have called on the Selangor Government to immediately cease degazetting forest reserves to make way for the construction of two major highway projects in the state.
The NGOs are Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka Malaysia); Sahabat Alam Malaysia; Malaysian Nature Society (MNS); Save Greenlungs; Say No To SUKE; and, Say No To DASH.
MNS president, Henry Goh said any construction work cutting through the forest would permanently destroy the ecosystem and disastrously affect the flora and fauna.
"We want an immediate halt to any effort to degazette forest reserves; no further degazettement of any forest reserve in Selangor; and, a face-to-face meeting with the mentri besar regarding the degazettement issue to understand the situation and find a solution acceptable to all parties," he said.
Goh was speaking to reporters after handing over a memorandum on the issue to Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali at the State Secretariat building here today.
The memorandum — signed by all representatives of the activist groups — was received by Mohamed Azmin's political secretary Shuhaimi Shafiei.
The affected forests will be the Bukit Cherakah forest reserve and Sungai Buloh forest for the Damansara Shah Alam Highway (DASH) construction cutting through it.
The Bukit Sungei Puteh forest in Hulu Langat has also been identified to be degazetted for the Sungei Besi Ulu Kelang Highway (SUKE).
Meanwhile, Peka Malaysia president Puan Sri Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil said the recent announcement on the state government's move to degazette forest reserves was uncalled for as it had the potential to destroy water catchment areas.
"We need our water catchment areas more than ever now, what with the current extreme heat," she said. — Bernama