No zoning of land usage under Paya Indah Wetlands

The Selangor state government is not re-zoning the status of lots 4827 and 3974 of the Paya Indah Wetlands for development purposes as alleged by certain parties, said state executive councillor for Tourism, Nature, Green Technology and Consumerism Elizabeth Wong.

She said, the 450.76 hectares of land was gazetted by the Wildlife Department as Wetland Reserve under the National Land Code since 1998.

The land, as mentioned by Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) founder Badrul Hisham Shaharin, belongs to Salak Land Development Sendirian Berhad and is not included under the Paya Indah Wetlands area which has been gazetted as agriculture land, she explained.

"The area outside Lots 4827 and 3974 (excluding Lot 68054) is not within the Paya Indah Wetlands. A lot is different from the owner," she told a press conference at the lobby of the State Legislative Assembly building here today.

"I would like to emphasise that the state government does not have any intention to rezone Lot 4827 and 3974, at the size of 450 hectares, which has been gazetted by the Wildlife Department as Wetland Reserve since 1998," Elizabeth said.

She added that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Government and the State Government concerning the management and administration for the conservation of the Paya Indah Wetlands was signed on August 1, 2007.

Since then, she said, there had been no application to change the land usage of Lots 4827 and 3974.

Previously, Badrul Hisham claimed the state government has initiated the rezoning of Paya Indah Wetlands in lot 68054 of Mukim Tanjong Dua Belas Kuala Langat.

The activist, also known as Chegubard, also alleged the move will disrupt the entire ecosystem of the area which was classified as a wet land under the Ramsar Convention.