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Degazettement process should be suspended in light of COVID-19 Pandemic

  • Publication Date | March 26, 2020
  • Document Type | Media Statement
  • Programmes | Forests & Biodiversity
  • Issues | Conservation, Forest Degazetting, Indigenous Peoples
  • Tags | Covid-19, Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve, Land Conservation Act 1960, MCO, National Action Plan for Peatlands, Orang Asli, Selangor Forest Coalition
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Save the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve

SELANGOR, 26 MARCH 2020: The Coalition for the Protection of Selangor’s Forests demands that the degazettement process for the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve be suspended due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.  The current Movement Control Order (MCO) and the suspending of activities by NGOs by the Registrar of Societies have made it impossible to have any proper assessment of impacts or dialogue on the proposed degazettement.

Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and the announcement of the MCO on 16 March 2020, the Coalition feels that the Selangor Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari’s announcement at the Selangor State Legislative Assembly sitting on 17 March 2020 that the state government would soon conduct a public hearing session for the proposed degazettement , is inappropriate.  . 

Leela Panikkar from Treat Every Environment Special (TrEES) and coordinator of the Coalition said, “The Registrar of Societies (RoS) on 16th March 2020, banned all societies from holding any activity until the end of June to curb the spread of Covid-19.  The Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA) on the same day, suspended visits to Orang Asli villages in the Peninsula.  This has made it impossible for any dialogue and assessment of the importance of the forest reserve to the Orang Asli to take place.   In addition, with the enforcement of the MCO on 18th March and its extension till 14 April, stakeholders are unable to consult and prepare for the public inquiry”.

 “With the banning of public gatherings related to the COVID-19 pandemic it is also not appropriate for the state to try and convene a public inquiry to which the Orang Asli communities and the more than 40,000 people who made objections, must be invited”,  said Faizal Parish of GEC, another member of the Coalition.  We therefore call for the proposed Public Inquiry and any other steps in the process to consider degazettement to be postponed till after July 2020.”

Hence, the Coalition for the Protection of Selangor’s Forests strongly calls upon the Selangor State Government to formally suspend the de-gazettement process and to focus on the more important issues at hand; combatting the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and the multiple impacts on the people and the local economy.

END

_______________

Notes

The Selangor State Government through the Selangor State Forestry Department had placed the proposal notice on the February 5, 2020 inviting stakeholders in the Kuala Langat district to voice their objections, which prompted various environmental and social NGOs and the public to join the Save KLNFR campaign. Formed in response to the notice, the Coalition for the Protection of Selangor’s Forests, comprising of seven environmental and social NGOs, collected 43,502 objections from the public and local residents of Kuala Langat district in just 20 days and presented to the State government on 5th March 2020.

KLNFR is an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA/KSAS) – Rank 1 under the Third National Physical Plan (RFN-3) and Disaster Risk KSAS under Development Goal Policy 16 (MP16) in the Selangor State Structure Plan 2035 (RSN). It is also designated as a conservation area under the recently gazetted Local Plan for Kuala Langat District.  Under these plans, no development is allowed in Environmentally Sensitive Areas Rank 1 – to avoid serious environmental, economic and social impacts

The proposed de-gazettement of KLNFR is also not in line with the National Action Plan for Peatlands (2011-2020), the National Policy on  Biological Diversity (2016-2025), the Land Conservation Act 1960 (Act 385) related to conservation and protection of environmental resources and Local Plan for Kuala Langat District 2030 as well as Malaysia’s obligations under international agreements and conventions.

About the Coalition for the Protection of Selangor’s Forests

The coalition of seven environmental organisations was formed due to our concern that Selangor is going to lose a very important peat swamp forest reserve that is rich in biodiversity and home to indigenous communities.  The coalition advocates for the protection and conservation of forests in Selangor by working abreast with alliances, allies and networks to highlight the global importance of forest ecosystems and biodiversity for climate control and natural sustainability. The coalition also promotes respect for the rights and identity of indigenous communities that have been coexisting with the forests in Malaysia for thousands of years.

For more info about the Coalition, visit:

https://www.facebook.com/Coalition-for-the-Protection-of-Selangors-Forests-102562088005138/

Members of the Coalition are:

  • Center for Orang Asli Concerns Malaysia (COAC)
  • Global Environment Centre (GEC)
  • GRASS Malaysia
  • Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam (KUASA)
  • Malaysian Nature Society (MNS)
  • Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM)
  • Treat Every Environment Special (TrEES)

For more information/media enquiries, please contact:

Global Environment Centre (GEC):

       Nagarajan Rengasamy           –     nagarajan@gec.org.my           012-296 8434

       Shafinaz Shahabudin              –     shafinaz@gec.org.my             012 513 5495

Malaysian Nature Society (MNS):

       Lee Ee Ling  –    lee_eeling@yahoo.com                                       016-965 3317

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM):

       Mageswari Sangaralingam   – foemalaysia@gmail.com

Treat Every Environment Special (TrEES):

      Leela Panikkar  –   treateveryenvironmentspecial@gmail.com           012 391 2521

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Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah satu badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) yang telah sekian lama berjuang mempertahan kelestarian alam. Ia juga mendidik masyarakat tentang pentingnya kebersamaan dalam pemikiran dan tindakan agar alam ini dapat kita wariskan kepada generasi hadapan dalam keadaan yang elok dan terpelihara. Dalam pada itu juga SAM giat membantu golongan nelayan pantai dalam memperjuangkan hak-hak mereka sehinggalah tertubuhnya Persatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING). Nelayan pantai sepenuh masa ini dididik oleh SAM sehingga mereka mampu memainkan peranan sebagai pemimpin nelayan yang meneruskan kesinambungan memperjuangkan hak-hak nelayan pantai lainnya. Sebagai contoh SAM telah berjaya menyedarkan masyarakat nelayan keperluan menjaga hutan paya bakau untuk kebaikan hasil tangkapan nelayan itu sendiri.
Jamaluddin Mohamad Bualik
Jamaluddin Mohamad BualikPersatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Jaringan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING)
During the 1980s, I used to read about the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) in the news. After retirement, some time in 2001, while lazing around, I read news about the construction of a carbon in leach plant using sodium cyanide to extract gold in Bukit Koman. My friends and I visited CAP and we were introduced to SAM and her legal team. We discussed the details of filing a case against the gold mining company and the department of environment with Ms Meenakshi Raman and her legal team. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between lawyers from SAM and many of us from Bukit Koman. We had many ups and downs in our struggle to shut down the gold mine that was causing a nuisance in our village. But, as a community we never gave up because SAM had our backs.
Hue Fui How
Hue Fui HowSecretary, Bukit Koman Ban Cyanide in Goldmining Action Committee (BCAC)
Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah sebuah NGO yang memperjuangkan nasib masyarakat luar bandar khasnya. SAM menerima aduan-aduan masyarakat dan menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi. SAM telah mewujudkan ramai aktivis-aktivis sosial dan alam sekitar. Pada era 1980 dan 90an SAM sangat dihormati oleh masyarakat dan agensi kerajaan. Apabila media sosial menguasai maklumat maka SAM pun terkesan dan masalah masyarakat terus disalurkan dengan pelbagai cara. SAM perlu mewujudkan aktivis-aktivis pelapis yang muda untuk terus membantu masyarakat. SAM juga perlu membuat perubahan supaya banyak turun kelapangan dan jangan mengharapkan laporan media sahaja. Tingkatkan prestasi sebagaimana pada zaman kegemilangan SAM di era 80-90an.
Che Ani Mt Zain
Che Ani Mt Zain
SAM taught me the importance of social activism and the role it plays in upholding the rights of people and the protection of the environment. In my experience, SAM has never hesitated to speak up in defence of people and their environment, and has gone the extra mile to champion their rights, by helping communities take their battles to the higher ups and even to the courts.
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Jessica BinwaniPublic/Private Interest Lawyer
Semenjak kami kenal SAM, banyak pengalaman dan pengetahuan yg kami dapat. Kami telah belajar cara membuat baja asli daripada SAM. Semenjak itu, bermulalah minat kami dalam aktiviti pertanian. Dengan memperolehi kemahiran dalam membuat baja asli dan penanaman lestari, kami juga telah dapat menambahkan pendapatan sampingan kami. Ini lebih baik daripada tanah kami terbiar dan tidak diusahakan. Terima kasih SAM kerana sudi memberi bantuan dan tunjuk ajar kepada Persatuan kami.
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My journey with SAM started when her community organisers took me to the meet the paddy farmers of Kedah, connecting my growing interest in environmental law with our people who struggle to work the land in the face of pollution, replacement of traditional seeds with commercial hybrids and their accompanying chemical package of fertilisers and weedicides. I then had the honour to work with SAM in the struggle for the rights of the native communities of Sarawak, in defence of their forests from massive logging and destructive mega-projects. In every issue that SAM takes up, she combines rigorous research with the realities and voices of the communities to advocate for policies and laws that care for people and nature. From the courts to the elected legislators to policy makers and implementers and to the United Nations, SAM walks side by side with the communities in Malaysia. How can I not be inspired by the vision and passion of the generations of women and men who coalesce to form SAM?
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Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Headquarters)
No. 1, Jalan Joki, 11400 Penang,
Malaysia
Tel: +604 827 6930
Fax: +604 827 6932

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Marudi Office)
129A, First Floor,
Jalan Tuanku Taha,
P.O.Box 216,
98058 Marudi, Baram, Sarawak,
Malaysia
Tel & Fax: +6085 758 973

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