15 March 2022 – The Pertahankan Hutan Simpan Kuala Langat Utara (PHSKLU) coalition demands that the Selangor State Government carries out its promise to re-gazette Hutan Simpan Kuala Langat Utara IMMEDIATELY, WITHOUT DELAY and WITHOUT ATTACHING ANY CONDITIONS.
We refer to the statement by Yang Berhormat Dato Sri Amirudin Shari on 2 December 2021 that states the Selangor State Government aims to re-gazette Hutan Simpan Kuala Langat Utara (HSKLU) by March 2022.
1. We demand the YB Menteri Besar carries out this promise to re-gazette 1,222 acres at once and to stop stalling the process (104 acres to remain de-gazetted and set aside for Kampung Orang Asli Busut Baru). As it is, the initial de-gazettement was highly unpopular with immense protests from the Orang Asli communities, from Selangor elected representatives, from the Federal Government and from a unified Malaysian public.
2. We demand the re-gazettement is done immediately to ensure the forest remains untouched and reserved for protection, and thus removing all threats to the current degazetted portion of the forest. We further reiterate that there should be no development and disturbance on this de-gazetted portion of the forest reserve during this time.
3. We do not accept the statement from YB Menteri Besar that there is a need to keep part of the forest for the possibility of continuity of East Coast Rail Link (ECRL). The urgent timeline to protect this forest during this time of an obvious climate crisis and on-going environmental degradation cannot be linked to the timeline of an infrastructure project that takes years to develop. We emphasise that the re- gazettement of the 1,222 hectares of the forest must be carried out in full, without conditions and without caveats. At the same time, we note and applaud the setting out of 104 hectares for Kampung Orang Asli Busut Baru.
4. As spotlighted in the speech of YB Menteri Besar on 1st March 2022 at the Shah Alam Convention Centre, all the planning and development in Selangor must address the environmental impact and be in line with the state’s aspiration to transform into a low carbon state. The re-gazettement of HSKLU is indeed crucial to reduce net carbon emissions and materialise the state’s aspiration. Thus, YB Menteri Besar must keep his word on the re-gazettement of HSKLU and expedite its progress in line with the recent directive that has been made.
We demand the Selangor State Government to stop stalling and to stop blocking the rakyat’s mandate to protect our forests. The Selangor State Government must carry out its commitment to protect and preserve forests in Selangor immediately, and this includes re-gazetting the de-gazetted portion of Hutan Simpan Kuala Langat Utara AT ONCE.
For any clarification, please email [email protected]
This press release was prepared by members of PHSKLU as below:
1. Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC)
2. Five Arts Centre
3. Global Environment Centre (GEC)
4. Greenpeace Malaysia
5. Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Selangor Branch
6. MISI: Solidariti
7. Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)
8. Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam (KUASA)
9. Persatuan Kesedaran dan Keadilan Iklim Malaysia (Klima Action Malaysia- KAMY) 10. Persatuan Tindakan Alam Sekitar Kuala Langat
11. Pertubuhan Alam Sekitar Sejahtera (GRASS) Malaysia
12. Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam (PEKA)
13. Rimba Disclosure Project
14. Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM)
15. SUARAM (Suara Rakyat Malaysia)
16. Treat Every Environment Special Sdn Bhd (TrEES)