By Jerry Choong
SHAH ALAM, Sept 29 — The Selangor Forestry Department (JPNS) has denied issuing an advertisement for the sale of quarry land lots in the Bukit Lagong Forest Reserve which came out on the EdgeProp portal, said state executive councillor for tourism and the environment Hee Loy Sian.
He said all quarry approvals are granted as small licenses, per Section 28 of the Enactment (Application) of the Selangor State Forestry Act 1985.
“The status of the land in the areas concerned are still retained as forest reserves,” Hee said in a statement.
He said all quarrying operations in the forest reserve area are in compliance with all conditions set by technical departments, including the Minerals and Geosciences Department (JMG), the Environment Department (JAS), the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (JKKP) as well as with the local authorities.
“This involves the period before and during the implementation of quarrying activities. In addition, it is mandatory for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be carried out before any quarrying activities commence.
“Integrated monitoring by JPNS and related agencies is constantly carried out, so as to ensure no conditions or regulations are being violated,” Hee said.
The councillor added the total area of Selangor’s forest reserves since 2008 has increased by 3.5 per cent, from approximately 241,568.30 hectares that year to 250,250.33 hectares in 2021, or an increase of 6,862 hectares.
Addressing the claims of new quarries in the forest reserve on social media, he said from 1992 to 2000, a total of seven areas for quarrying activities were approved by the Selangor State Executive Council (MMKN).
“This encompasses approximately 215.64 hectares within the Bukit Lagong Forest Reserve. From 2018 to 2019, a total of 19 quarrying areas measuring 800.50 hectares were approved in the forest reserve.
“The approval was issued to accommodate the need for rock materials for the use of development throughout Selangor and the Klang Valley. The approval granted to the 19 new quarrying areas is meant to replace the older quarries which will expire in the coming future, starting in 2023,” Hee said.
Based on records, approximately 28 per cent of the forest reserve’s area has been developed for quarrying purposes.
“All approvals for quarries have been processed according to set procedures. The implementation of quarry development is carried out in stages in a set amount of time, to control the environmental impacts, as well as to avoid any issues related to the rock materials market,” he said.
