KLANG: The Energy and Natural Resources Ministry is against the degazettement of the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR), says Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan(pic).

       The Energy and Natural Resources Minister said the Malaysian government is committed to ensure that at least 50% of the nation's land surface is covered with forests.

       He said this is in line with the country's pledge at the international level.

       "Sustaining forested areas is important because of the role they play in providing ecosystems for the benefit of the people.

       "The Energy and Natural Resources Ministry as well as departments and agencies under it have made a stand and disagree with the degazettement of the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR), especially at the early stages of the proposal by the Selangor government,'' he said in a statement on Thursday (Sept 2).

       He added an official protest was sent in 2020 to the Selangor government over the degazettement.

       Takiyuddin said as the ministry responsible for managing the country's natural resources, the degazettement, which shrinks the original size of the KLNFR, was viewed seriously.

       "This is because up to 2019, the Malaysian Forestry Department's data indicated that the total forest area in Selangor was 31.74% (of the total land area),'' he added.

       However, the ministry also took note of the 579.64ha replacement in four forested areas, namely the Sungai Panjang Forest Reserve (308.62ha), the Buloh Telor Barat Forest Reserve (149.96ha), the Buloh Telor Timur Forest Reserve (57.18ha) and the Broga Forest Reserve (63.88ha) as permanent forest reserve areas, said Takiyuddin.

       "The ministry also recommends that the replacement areas are protected and maintained to ensure forest areas in Selangor are preserved.

       "It is hoped the Selangor government ensures the forest under the degazettement is developed responsibly and sustainably with the assurance of sufficient buffer zones and all conditions stipulated in the environment impact assessment report are adhered to,'' added Takiyuddin.

       He said this was to ensure the proposed development does not adversely affect the nearby forest areas, its ecosystem as well as local residents, especially the Orang Asli community.

       The KLNFR land that went under degazettement has been given to Gabungan Indah Sdn Bhd for a mixed-commercial development project.

       This has hit some glitches with many protests coming in, including from Selangor's elected representatives as well as PKR, which is the party of state Mentri Besar Datul Seri Amirudin Shari.