PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) takes note of the concerns raised by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) on the land clearing for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) Project in Selangor.
In a statement, MRL said it is committed to fully comply with all requirements set out by the authorities to protect the environment and safeguard public interest.
“For our ongoing project in Selangor, we work closely with authorities and government agencies at all levels, including the Federal Government, the Selangor State Government, Selangor State Forestry Department (JPNS), Department of Environment (DOE) and all relevant Local Councils. ECRL construction activities under Section C2 (Gombak-Serendah-Pelabuhan Klang), which is fully located within Selangor, are carried out tactfully in consultation with local communities and all relevant stakeholders and in accordance to the regulatory requirements,“ it said.
For the record, the ECRL Railway Scheme for Section C2 was granted by the Transport Ministry to MRL on 14 January 2022 after a 3-month Public Inspection as per the statutory requirements Land Public Transport Act 2010.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), a mandatory requirement under the Environmental Quality Act 1974, was submitted to DOE on 30 November 2021 and approved on 20 December 2021.
“On 14 September 2022, we received approval from the Selangor state government to proceed with the construction of ECRL Section C2 alignment in Selangor.
“We wish to note that the land clearing for the ECRL Project in Selangor does not involve any degazettement of forest reserves including those within the Selangor State Park. To facilitate preparatory works for ECRL construction, MRL has obtained a right-of-way permit (permit izin lalu) from the Forestry Department so that our contractors can enter the forest reserve to carry out licensed activities related to ECRL,“ the statement futher read.
To safeguard the environment, the ECRL Project has among others complied with the approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Environmental Management Plan (EMP) and Erosion and Sediment Control Plans (ESCP) guidelines and conditions that were prescribed by the Department of Environment (DOE) and Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) accordingly.
In addition, both MRL and CCC-ECRL are proactively holding meetings and engagement sessions with the Selangor state authorities and all stakeholders of the ECRL project including the local communities living near the ECRL work sites. This is to ensure the voices of all affected parties and public concerns are fully considered to minimise social and environmental impact. On that note, MRL and CCC-ECRL welcome views and feedback from concerned stakeholders on the ECRL project and are open to engagement sessions with various quarters where necessary. Any suggestions can be forwarded to feedback@mrl.com.my.
