Pakatan MPs hail bipartisan vote to protect forest reserves in Selangor

PETALING JAYA: Two Pakatan Harapan (PH) MPs from Selangor have hailed the approval of a motion to preserve forest reserves at the state assembly sitting this evening, saying it was vital to protect the environment.

PKR’s Wong Chen said while MPs do not have a vote in state matters, forest reserve plays a crucial role in mitigating floods, which was a big problem for his constituents in Subang.

“The Selangor government should actively preserve, improve and expand forest reserves to make our cities and towns more liveable and sustainable,” he told FMT.

Wong Chen also said with this decision, it is assumed that the Kuala Langat Forest Reserve will be preserved.

DAP’s Charles Santiago said there was a need to protect the environment, its biodiversity, and the Orang Asli.

The Klang MP, who is in favour of protecting the Kuala Langat Forest Reserve, said there was a global effort in protecting the environment, and Malaysia should follow suit.

“Short term profits should not be placed over long term environmental sustainability that is necessary to reproduce society.”

Earlier today, PH and Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen voted on a motion to preserve forest reserves in Selangor.

The motion, tabled by Mohd Najwan Halimi (PH-Kota Anggerik), stipulated that residents, stakeholders and professionals must be consulted prior to any move to degazette a forest reserve.

The assembly had earlier been told the state government intended to degazette 2,400 hectares of the forest reserve, with 150ha set aside for the Orang Asli community.

Meanwhile, environmental NGO Eco-tourism and Conservation Society Malaysia (Ecomy) was happy that politicians finally looked past party politics to do “something for the greater good”.

Ecomy CEO Andrew Sebastian said the stand to stop degazettement of any forests in Selangor needs to be followed by stringent monitoring and enforcement of laws to protect green lungs and natural habitats.