{"id":774,"date":"2022-06-10T10:33:21","date_gmt":"2022-06-10T02:33:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp\/?p=774"},"modified":"2022-06-11T22:50:18","modified_gmt":"2022-06-11T14:50:18","slug":"dubious-tactics-to-destroy-shah-alam-community-forest-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp\/dubious-tactics-to-destroy-shah-alam-community-forest-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Dubious Tactics to Destroy Shah Alam Community Forest?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Written by Andrew Sia<\/p>\n

Things do not look good for the Shah Alam Community Forest (SACF) as we enter the second half of 2022. Hikers have reported that bulldozers began tearing through the hilly forest earlier in May, part of a hush-hush development project called Bandar Sierra Alam by PKNS.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text]

PKNS, the Selangor State Development Corporation under the control of the Pakatan Harapan state government, is building a \u201cmixed residential\u201d project along the hilly green slopes of SACF.<\/strong><\/em><\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Yet, there is no announcement of any new property development at SACF. When you look for \u201cBandar Sierra Alam\u201d on Google maps, it\u2019s nowhere to be found.<\/p>\n

This place was only mentioned in news stories in late May, when PKNS signed a MOU with Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) to help it conserve 34.5 hectares of forest, to be renamed as PKNS Community Forest (PCF).<\/p>\n

The MOU makes it all sound very eco-friendly, complete with a plan to gain regional recognition for PCF. To this end, PKNS will apply to the South-East Asia Rainforest Research Partnership (SEARRP) to classify PCF as a protected area under OECM or \u201cOther Effective area-based Conservation Measure\u201d.<\/p>\n

But these fancy terms evade the fact that the 34.5ha will merely be 20 percent of the existing 172ha at SACF. 121.4ha is owned by PKNS while the balance is owned by the state government directly. In other words, PKNS will be chopping down some 88ha of forest for \u201cdevelopment\u201d. Yet they are whitewashing (or rather greenwashing) it as \u201cconservation\u201d. This is development by stealth.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”802″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Natural Treasures<\/h3>\n

SACF is a treasure chest of signature species such as tapirs<\/span>, leopard cats, dusky leaf monkeys, white-handed gibbons, slow loris, mousedeers and hornbills. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

In fact, a biodiversity survey done by SACF Society with funding from the UNDP GEF-SGP (Global Environment Facility – Small Grants Programme) has recorded 106 species of birds, 455 of plants, 94 of butterflies, 32 of reptiles and 21 of amphibians. 26 species of freshwater fish have also been found in the lakes and waterways of the area, notes former WWF conservationist Dr Dionysius Sharma.<\/p>\n

Experts have warned that this immensely rich biodiversity cannot be sustained if the forest is cut down to a tiny island because the limited genetic pool will lead to inbreeding and eventual extinction. In other words, PCF will be a pale shadow of the bio wealth of SACF.<\/p>\n

Malaysians know of more famous hills such as Bukit Kiara and Bukit Gasing. But these are actually overgrown rubber plantations without tapirs<\/span>, gibbons or slow loris in them.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text]

In contrast, SACF still has its original forest intact (after logging decades ago) and this accounts for its immense biodiversity. Plus, there are seven scenic lakes here, features missing in Kiara and Gasing.<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]This is a very popular area for hikers, with over 1,000 visitors weekly. The terrain of steep hills is perfect for hiking, but unsuitable for development as it will mean massive soil erosion and river siltation. Will that be the by-product of Bandar Sierra Alam, which gets its name from the Spanish word \u201csierra\u201d or \u201cmountains\u201d?[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”787″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Moreover, there are seven beautiful lakes here, which are natural flood retention ponds, but these will also be \u201cdeveloped\u201d. As it is, construction has already scarred part of the iconic Mirror Lake.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text]

Will soil erosion and lake development of \u201cSierra Alam\u201d (ie \u201cMountain World\u201d) cause flash floods?<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]As happened after forested slopes were logged near Janda Baik (May 2022) and western Pahang (Dec 2021)?[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Semi-motorised Forest?<\/h3>\n

Dr Nor Hanisah Mohd Hashim, senior lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Survey, UiTM, is giving PKNS technical advice on conserving PCF. Her team of students did a three-day survey of some 200 visitors to the area \u2013 they were mostly unhappy with the project.<\/p>\n

\u201cVisitors to the forest claimed that the forest was under SACF and there was no sign that it belonged to PKNS. They felt rather upset that PKNS was developing it,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n

Hanisah says the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) has been done, but she is unsure if it has been approved.<\/p>\n

\u201cPKNS did not share the whole report with me as it is rather confidential,\u201d she notes.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text]

<\/p>\n

What is astonishing is that development has been justified because SACF has been classified as a \u201csemi motorised\u201d area.<\/h4>\n

<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Hanisah explains there are six levels of park planning in a spectrum from \u201cprimitive\u201d to \u201cfully urbanised\u201d.\u00a0Level 1 (primitive) refers to virgin areas such as the Royal Belum rainforest while Level 4 refers to villages (kampung). In SACF, since there are some motocross activities (dirt or scrambler bikes), it has been classified as Level 3 or \u201csemi motorised\u201d.<\/p>\n

This is rather ridiculous as regular motorbikes are normally used by Orang Asli to gather forest products,<\/span> using old logging trails in many of Malaysia\u2019s forests. Furthermore, dirt bikes have been recorded at Endau-Rompin State Park. Does that mean that all those forests should be classified as \u201csemi motorised\u201d and therefore open for \u201cdevelopment\u201d too?<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”791″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Affordable housing?<\/h3>\n

As a consolation, SACF\u2019s iconic Peak Garden will be part of the 34ha to be conserved. A metal trig marker has been proposed here under UiTM\u2019s management plan. As the trails are not too steep, there are no intentions to build concrete steps, notes Hanisah.<\/p>\n

Can more forest be saved? The UiTM lecturer replies, \u201cIf you ask me, I would love to preserve all of the 120ha (of forest that PKNS owns). But we are only given 34ha as our area (of PCF to advise on). The remainder is outside our jurisdiction.\u201d<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text]

In other words, it\u2019s up to PKNS, which is controlled by the Pakatan Harapan Selangor state government, to decide if more of SACF can be conserved.<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Alternatively, if PKNS can be compensated with other development lands by the government. Why destroy this pristine area of hill forest?<\/p>\n

Hanisah has heard that PKNS intends to build \u201caffordable housing\u201d here. But most budget housing lies on more humble flat ground. It\u2019s strange to build budget apartments on steep hills, where the costs of development will be much higher, especially for roads and landslide prevention.<\/p>\n

Or is \u201caffordable housing\u201d a red herring to make the project more politically \u201cacceptable\u201d? While some may be built, perhaps the real goal is to build lucrative high-end residences. After all, most elite housing in Malaysia is branded as \u201cheights\u201d (eg: Damansara Heights), and probably suits the lofty setting of the highland \u201csierra\u201d.<\/p>\n

In fact the Shah Alam City Council\u2019s (MBSA) Local Landscape Plan also shows posh \u201ceco villas\u201d for an area of SACF allocated as \u201celite housing based on eco development\u201d. Is this what has been truly planned by PKNS?<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”792″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

State Government Not Helpful<\/h3>\n

Sadly, the Pakatan Harapan state government has not been supportive of conservation. The SACF Society (SACF-S) and other nature lovers have been trying for eight long years to save this forest, including building hiking trails with cangkuls. But they have met resistance from the authorities, not encouragement.<\/p>\n

SACF-S has gone through all the \u201cproper channels\u201d, writing numerous letters to the authorities. In return, MBSA (which oversees the area) has been proposing \u201camazing\u201d projects such as a graveyard for the area! Why do they want to chop down abundant forest life to make way for the dead? Is there no other place in the great state of Selangor for this?<\/p>\n

In Dec 2019, the authorities basically told the society \u2013 sorry, this is the Local Plan (for a graveyard and PKNS development) and nothing can be done, recalls SACF founder, Alicia Teoh.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text]

When the society appealed to the Shah Alam mayor, he replied, \u201cOh, if you want to change the Local Plan, you have to refer back to the State Exco.\u201d In other words, it was a classic runaround strategy<\/span>.<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]In mid 2020, SACF-S mobilised hundreds of people to lodge official \u201cbantahan\u201d (objections) to a proposed road that would cut through the forest. MBSA\u2019s response was to go all out to discourage people from visiting the forest, including putting up big red signs warning: \u201cTANAH KERAJAAN, PENCEROBOH AKAN DIDENDA\u201d (government land, trespassers will be fined), threatening penalties of up to RM500,000![\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”786″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

The authorities have argued, that the forest was degazetted by the (bad) old Barisan Nasional state government, then headed by Umno Menteri Besar Khir Toyo in 2006.<\/p>\n

However, SACF-S found out that this was not true, as they did a detailed study and found that the alleged 2006 degazettement was not done properly, and hence invalid.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text]

Thus, the area is still legally a Permanent Forest Reserve, a finding that the Malaysian Bar Council agrees with. In that case, any development, including by PKNS, would be illegal.<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]These findings were submitted to the relevant authorities, but there was a deafening silence from them.<\/p>\n

In April 2021, a public hearing was held by MBSA to hear objections to the Local Plan. There were a total of 718 objections against the proposed road and 195 against the graveyard. Yet journalists were barred from sitting in during the \u201cpublic\u201d hearing, which raised questions about what there was to hide. Read here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”789″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

During the hearing, Hee Loy Sian, the State Exco for Environment, said it was \u201cprobable\u201d that the SACF degazettement was \u201cnot carried out properly\u201d between 2002 and 2007 as he has encountered a similar case at Bukit Lagong, Selangor. He promised to \u201cfollow up closely\u201d on the matter.<\/p>\n

However, there was no word from Hee after that, nor was any explanation given regarding the public objections. This was despite a letter handed over right at Hee\u2019s Shah Alam office, requesting an urgent meeting to resolve forest encroachment.<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text]

\u201cMBSA didn’t bother justifying anything to anyone. Our follow-up letters to MBSA were not replied to. The public hearing was a farce.\u201d recalls Teoh.<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]Instead, in Feb 2022, MBSA suddenly published its Local Landscape Plan, which proposed a \u201cperkuburan majmuk\u201d or multicultural graveyard for supposed \u201cracial integration\u201d. This meant that the state government was ignoring public objections and going ahead to develop the hills of SACF. How will a graveyard be built on hilly terrain?[\/vc_column_text]
\u201cI don’t see how a graveyard promotes racial integration. On the other hand, a community forest definitely promotes better racial relations where people of all races, rich or poor, can come and enjoy nature freely.\u201d comments Teoh.<\/div><\/div>[vc_single_image image=”790″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Even if the authorities are right, that SACF had been properly degazetted back in 2006 by the Khir Toyo BN government, why don\u2019t the \u201cgood guys\u201d \u2013 Pakatan Harapan \u2013 reverse that decision and regazette it as a forest reserve? There is so much other land in Selangor, for example oil palm plantations on flat ground, that can be easily allocated to PKNS to build \u201caffordable housing\u201d.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text]

After all, some 75,000 people have already signed a petition<\/a> to \u201cSave SACF\u201d. <\/span>How many more people (and voters) need to speak up? <\/span><\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]Instead of giving \u201charapan\u201d or \u201chope\u201d to people of a greener future, the Selangor State Exco was instead caught secretly degazetting the Kuala Langat North forest reserve, first to a company linked to royalty and then to a dubious RM1 company linked to a former Johor Umno Youth chief! (Read here<\/a>) Only a huge public outcry \u2013 including from Harapan backbenchers \u2013 managed to stop that travesty.\u00a0 <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

What Will It Take To Save SACF?<\/h3>\n

Ultimately, it will require political will from the State Exco and the Pakatan Harapan state government that controls PKNS to stop the latest \u201cdevelopment\u201d. And it will probably require another mass outcry for the politicians to rediscover their \u201cwillpower\u201d to do the right thing.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2=”Sign the Petition to Stop Destruction” style=”3d” color=”juicy-pink”]<\/p>\n

https:\/\/chng.it\/NjnYttGhCj<\/a><\/h2>\n

[\/vc_cta][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Written by Andrew Sia Things do not look good for the Shah Alam Community Forest (SACF) as we enter the second half of 2022. Hikers have reported that bulldozers began tearing through the hilly forest earlier in May, part of a hush-hush development project called Bandar Sierra Alam by PKNS. [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Yet, there is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":789,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[34,9,10],"class_list":["post-774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-saveshahalamforest","tag-shahalamforest","tag-shah-alam-community-forest"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=774"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/774\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":820,"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/774\/revisions\/820"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}