by Afix Redzuan
SHAH ALAM, Feb 20 — The 404.7 hectares of Orang Asli land is not included in the degazetting plans of the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve, says Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari.
The Selangor Menteri Besar dismissed claims that the proposal had included the area that houses over 1,000 residents as it was never part of the planning, including the surrounding villages.
“The Orang Asli area is still under the forest reserve. Claims that there are plans to demolish it all are merely baseless and inaccurate allegations,” he said at a press conference at the Bilik Gerakan Negeri at the Selangor State Secretariat (SUK), here today.
Amiruddin said the issue regarding the ancestral burial ground of the Temuan people will be reviewed after the one-month objection period ends on March 5.
Earlier, Amirudin clarified that the state government had listed four forest areas as a replacement to retain the current 70 forest reserves in Selangor.
He said the proposed plan to degazette the forest reserve is only at the second phase, which includes the preparation of the copy of the area plan and a written report to be distributed to the public as well as the publication of public inquiry notice.
He said the new forest area would connect with the Raja Muda Musa Forest Reserve and would cover a surface area of 121.4 hectares, which is larger than the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve.
