By Zareef Muzammil
SHAH ALAM, Nov 28 — Public access to the permanent forest reserve (HSK) gazetted as the Selangor Royal Heritage Forest is controlled to preserve quality and biodiversity.
Dato’ Menteri Besar said the uncontrolled entry into some of the 26 forest reserves from Hulu Selangor to Hulu Langat has had an adverse effect on the flora. fauna and cleanliness of the area.
” We will still allow (entry) to some of the 26 gazetted forests, but we will definitely control the number of entries because it will have a direct impact on the quality of the forest.
“If we allow too many people to enter, there may be less control over the cleanliness and preservation of the environment,” said Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari when met after the declaration of the Selangor Royal Heritage Forest here today.
The 108,000ha forest area was proclaimed the Selangor Royal Heritage Forest by His Royal Highness the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj.
Amirudin added that the State Government through the Selangor State Forestry Department has developed an app to facilitate the registration of visitors to HSK thus helping control entry.
“Just like yesterday I was at the Malaysian Forest Research Institute, Selayang.
“Before entering, you can register directly via the app without having to queue at the counter,” he said.