In just over 10 days, volunteers and concerned citizens helped the Coalition for the Protection of the Selangor State Park collect 8,260 signatures, demonstrating residents' objection to the proposed degazettement of forest reserves and the alignment of the KLORR-Eastern Route (EKVE) through these forests.
On 27 March 2014, a group of 20 representatives from the Coalition*, together with a representative from the Residents Association of Taman Melawati, gathered at the main lobby of the Bangunan SUK, Shah Alam to hand over the signatures collected to date.
During that handing over event, the Coalition submitted 7,292 signatures together with 207 individual objection letters to the Selangor State Government, objecting to the proposed degazettement of forest reserves and the alignment of the EKVE through these forests. It was amazing work by everyone involved!
Original copies of the petition and individual letters were submitted to the director of Forestry Selangor, Tuan. Haji Yusoff B. Muda, while copies of the petition and individual letters were submitted to:
Representative from the MB’s office- Tuan Haji Yasid bin Bidin,
Ketua Setiausaha Sulit Kepada Dato’ Menteri Besar Selangor
From 28 - 30 March, an additional 968 signatures were submitted to the state government via the Selangor Forestry Department. Also another 33 individual letters were submitted. Furthermore, another 200 over individual objection letters were also submitted directly to the state government throughout the objection period, through the Coalition's drive.
The Selangor State Government has given no supporting argument as to why this area should be degazetted, and how these forests are no longer required as forest reserve, water catchment or as state park.
We sincerely hope that the Selangor State government will hear our objections and NOT degazette our forest reserves. We also hope that both the federal and state governments will seek a better alternative to the current proposed alignment of the KLORR-Eastern Route (EKVE), so that the expressway will not cut through our forests, threatening critical water catchment and rich biodiversity areas.
* The Coalition for the Protection of the Selangor State Park comprises:
Malaysian Nature Society, SOS Selangor, Treat Every Environment Special and WWF Malaysia
