Selangor Gerakan has accused Menteri Besar Azmin Ali of betraying the trust of Selangorians following the state government’s plans to degazette forest reserves for the construction of highways.
In a statement, the party’s Selangor chairman David Ang claimed when Azmin first rose to power, the latter “pretended” to cancel highway projects to win over the people.
Locals, he warned, will not forget their promise of not building “new” highways in the election manifesto.
“Now, there is enough evidence to show they have backtracked and turned into an autocratic government, hell bent on sacrificing forest reserves for highway projects that are strongly opposed by local residents.”
Ang was commenting on advertisements carried in key newspapers by the Forestry Department on the government’s intention to degazette the forests to allow for the construction of the highways.
The affected forests are the Bukit Cherakah forest reserve and Sungai Buloh forest reserve for the Damansara-Shah Alam Highway (DASH) project cutting through it.
The Bukit Sungei Puteh forest reserve in Hulu Langat was also identified to be degazetted for the Sungei Besi-Ulu Kelang Highway (SUKE).
The public have 30 days to voice their objection.
The Selangor government, Ang pointed out, which had prided itself at being environment-friendly, was now sacrificing forest reserves for “its selfish interests” by allowing contractors to privatise the resources.
Ang said it was now proven that both Azmin Ali and Elizabeth Wong – the tourism, consumer affairs and environment exco member- could no longer get away with “their lies and pretences”.
Source: FMT
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