PETALING JAYA: All Selangor state executive councillors should voice their protest against the degazettement of the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR), says Datuk Ng Chok Sin.

       "Although they (state exco members) are compelled to abide with the stand of their respective parties, they should not forget their responsibilities to the rakyat," the MCA Selangor liaison committee chairman said in a statement on Wednesday (Sept 8).

       He said this should be particularly done by the three DAP assemblymen who are exco members.

       The three, he said, were Bandar Baru Klang assemblyman Datuk Teng Chang Kim, Kota Kemuning assemblyman V. Ganibatirau and Bandar Kinrara assemblyman Ng Sze Han.

       "They should voice their protest towards the Selangor state government's decision to prove that DAP is able to play the role of check and balance in the Pakatan Harapan administration in Selangor," Ng said.

       Ng also urged the Selangor state government to change its thinking with regard to the project.

       "Don't commercialise the peat forest as it represents a habitat for various species of flora and fauna," he said, adding that disruption of the environment would have a lasting impact in the future.

       Ng also said that the Selangor state government must take note of the recent petition to save KLNFR which had garnered over 100,000 signatures.

       There has been an outcry from civil society, environmental groups and the public following plans by the state to degazette a total of 536.7ha of the KLNFR out of a total of 991.9ha of the forest reserve.

       On Thursday (Sept 2), Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said that the Federal Government was against the degazettement of KLNFR.

       The minister said that an official protest was sent in 2020 to the Selangor government over the degazettement.

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