{"id":456,"date":"2021-04-08T15:38:19","date_gmt":"2021-04-08T15:38:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp57\/?p=456"},"modified":"2021-04-08T15:38:19","modified_gmt":"2021-04-08T15:38:19","slug":"press-release-on-mbsa-drt-2035-public-hearing-apr-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp57\/press-release-on-mbsa-drt-2035-public-hearing-apr-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Press Release on MBSA DRT 2035 Public Hearing – Apr 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In Aug – Sept 2020, MBSA carried out a public feedback exercise for their 2035 local plan draft. In this draft was a proposal to build a road across an existing forested land, also known to the local community as Shah Alam Community Forest (SACF). This natural lowland dipterocarp rainforest, supposedly designated as \u201cTanah Kerajaan\u201d is also to be turned into a cemetery in the MBSA plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From this public feedback, MBSA received a total of 718 objections for the road and 195 objections for the cemetery from the public. Today the first public hearing following the feedback exercise was held at Wisma MBSA. Objectors received an email invitation on 3rd April 2021 to attend this meeting. SACF Society and its 9,000-strong members were represented by Alicia Teoh (Founder and Secretary), Dr Teckwyn Lim (Treasurer) and Mohd Adli Maharon (Committee member). Also present at the hearing was Ee Ling from MNS HQ, Dr. Rosli Omar from Treat Every Environment Special (TrEES), Damien Thanam from PEKA, and Shah Alam residents and stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were 12 objected issues lined-up for the day. Everyone was seated in a waiting hall according to our respective issue. When it was our turn (U10 Road objection), we were ushered into a closed-door hall where the panel and relevant authorities were seated. We were warned not to take photos or videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A table with 4 chairs and a microphone was prepared for four representatives of the
objectors. Everyone else had to sit in the audience. We were told by the panel chaired by EXCO YB Ng Sze Han that only the four representatives are allowed to speak or ask questions. After much protests from the objectors, three more people were allowed to speak up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three main issues were raised:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1) The Legal Land Status of SACF<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dr Teckwyn Lim questioned the legality of any development on this piece of forested land as there are no degazettement notices of its excisement. Which means that SACF is legally still a Permanent Forest Reserve and cannot be developed. This fact has been brought to the attention of the Selangor State Secretary as well as the Selangor Forestry Dept by SACF Society and none has refuted it (see earlier info published by SACFS below in italic). Representatives of Pejabat Tanah Petaling who were present at the hearing were also unable to clarify this matter. Jabatan Perhutanan Negeri Selangor (JPNS) was not present as the entire department is currently in Port Dickson for a workshop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EXCO for environment YB Hee Loy Sian said during the hearing that it is probable that the degazettement process of SACF and several parcels of forested land in the vicinity were not carried out properly between 2002 and 2007 as he has encountered a similar case (Bukit Lagong). YB Hee Loy Sian said that he will follow up closely on the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

(In May 1909, Bukit Cherakah Forest Reserve was constituted in the Selangor
Government Gazette comprising 23,826 acres. As of 1st October 2020, following a
total of 4 extensions and 21 excisions, the reserve had a net area of 6,482 acres
remaining (refer to green area in attached map).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was discovered that Shah Alam Community Forest (SACF) is still part of the remaining Bukit Cherakah Forest Reserve and has not yet been excised by the Selangor state government. Hence under existing laws, this area is still a Permanent Forest Reserve (Hutan Simpanan Kekal) and CANNOT be developed without first undergoing due public consultations to change its status.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the finding of a study commissioned by SACF Society, with funding from the
UN’s Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme. The study was
carried out with the assistance of legal experts from the Environment and Climate
Change Committee of the Malaysian Bar Council led by Kiu Jia Yaw, and a team of
mapping and forestry experts led by Dr Teckwyn Lim, an adjunct lecturer at the School
of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On behalf of groups of civil-society organisations, SACF Society’s lawyers have
submitted a letter and detailed findings of this matter to the Selangor State Secretary
and Selangor Forestry Department in November 2020. To date, neither have
responded to refute our claims.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2) Huge public support for SACF to be protected as a community forest reserve.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

SACF Society has garnered over sixty-six thousand signatures in our online petition to protect this forest for ecological, recreational and educational purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MBSA panel was questioned by Alicia on the need for the proposed road, seeing that a link road between Setia Alam and Persiaran Mokhtar Dahari already existed (Setia Alam \u2013 Alam Budiman). Alicia also stated that the road will not be able to provide the invaluable long-term benefits that preserving this forest would, in terms of ecological services like flood mitigation, lower ambient temperatures, water catchment etc, better well-being of the Shah Alam residents by having natural forest trails to hike in and destress, as well as an educational platform to teach nature sciences and environmental stewardship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alicia said that SACF is a forest that has been loved and cared for by the Shah Alam community for over seven years and it will be a great injustice and disservice to the people if it were to be destroyed in any way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SACF Society has prepared a BETTER alternative plan for the forested land in question that is in line with what the community it represents want. This plan is to establish SACF as a full-fledged Urban Community Forest that will be a model of sustainable city planning for the rest of the country. Alicia will pass a copy of the plan document to Pn Aniza (Pengarah Perancangan MBSA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3) Wildlife impact of building a dividing road across the forest<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dr Rosli Omar and Damien Thanam brought up the irreversible impacts on wildlife, including further loss of large mammals like the endangered tapir which still roams the forests here, as well as increase in human-wildlife conflict should the forest be fragmented by the road and shrunken by development. Damien questioned if Jabatan Perhilitan has been consulted by MBSA concerning this matter. There were no answers from the panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In conclusion, no one from the authorities could give a definite answer on whether SACF has been legally degazetted. The hearing concluded with YB Ng Sze Han saying that MBSA will carry out an in-depth investigation on the legal status of this forest asap. If indeed the forest has NOT been degazetted via proper procedures (including a public consultation as is required by Selangor state forestry laws), then it is unlawful for MBSA or any other party to develop the forest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In Aug – Sept 2020, MBSA carried out a public feedback exercise for their 2035 local plan draft. In this draft was a proposal to build a road across an existing forested land, also known to the local community as Shah Alam Community Forest (SACF). This natural lowland dipterocarp rainforest, supposedly designated as \u201cTanah Kerajaan\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":459,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp57\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp57\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp57\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp57\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp57\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=456"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp57\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":465,"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp57\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456\/revisions\/465"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp57\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp57\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=456"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp57\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=456"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shahalamforest.org\/wp57\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=456"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}