581.48 hectares approved as permanent forest reserve replacement in Selangor

State Tourism, Environment, Green Technology and Orang Asli Affairs Committee chairman, Hee Loy Sian said this was based on the decision of the 17th/2021 Meeting of the State Executive Council (MMKN) on May 5 2021, and was confirmed in the 18th Meeting on May 19 2021.

"An area about 581.48 hectares has been approved as permanent forest reserve replacement involving PT4182 in Sungai Panjang sub-district, in Sabak Bernam district of about 308.62 hectares; Ampang Pechah, Buloh Telor sub-district, Hulu Selangor district an area of about 208.98 hectares and Bukit Broga, Semenyih sub-district, Hulu Langat district about 63.88 hectares as replacement forest.

"On the whole, the Selangor state government is still able to maintain HSK area in Selangor of not less than 30 per cent.

"After taking into consideration the area of HSK that has been degazetted and the new replacement areas, the total HSK is about 250,255.36 hectares," he said when winding up questions of assemblymen here today.

He was replying questions raised by Elizabeth Wong Keat Ping (PH-Bukit Lanjan), Lim Yi Wei (PH-Kampung Tunku), Datuk Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi (PAS-Sijangkang), Datuk Mohd Imran Tamrin (BN-Sungai Panjang) and R. Rajiv (PH-Bukit Gasing) who wanted to know the degazetting of Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR) and proposals for additional HSK area.

Hee said the 17th MMKN which was confirmed by 18th MMKN both in May had decided that only 536.70 hectares from the overall KLNFR approved for degazetting under Section 12 of Selangor's National Forestry Act (Adoption) Enactment 1985.

"The total KLNFR area to be degazetted is less than 45 per cent from the original total proposed which was about 991.90 hectares.

"This is because the state government had taken into consideration protests and biodiversity interest as well as Orang Asli needs and therefore only a portion of KLNFR is degazetted," he said.