Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve to be Degazetted?

Rosli Omar

rosliomar@fastmail.fm

Posted: 21 May 2020

The KLNFR of Selangor, in an announcement by the Selangor Forestry Department, 5 February 2020, was slotted for degazettement. It was originally of a much greater size, about 10,500 hectares (ha) but with most of the areas developed all around it is currently only 958ha. Out of this 931ha is proposed for degazettement, the purpose ostensibly, for a “mixed development” project. One party for the project is understood to be Selangor government’s own Menteri Besar Inc (MBI), and the other, a party from Selangor royalty (https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/plan-to-clear-selangor-forest-draws-fierce-opposition).

KLNFR is largely a peatswamp forest with some dry lowland dipterocarp forest (and some degraded areas). Peatswamp forests are unique because there are limited areas in Peninsular Malaysia with many areas drained for oil palm and other cultivations as well as development in general. KLNFR is classified as an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) Rank 1 under Third National Physical Plan. Ironically, it is also in Selangor government’s own Disaster Risk ESA under Development Goal Policy 16 (MP16) in the Selangor State Structure Plan 2035. That is, under no circumstance is for KLNFR to be developed. And it is thu ironic that it is the Selangor Chief Minister that is asking for degazettement via the State Forestry Department.

The forest is also used by the Temuan Orang Asal/Asli living just outside it. Some 2,000 Orang Asal depend on the forests for their various needs. It would be traumatic for them where forests form part of their culture to have it replaced,  and living next door to a “mixed development” project.

Peatswamp forests such as KLNFR are special in an important way. They hold large amounts of carbon, more than other forests. This is because of the thick layer of semi-decomposed organic matter that makes up the ground, the layer that holds the large amount of carbon. When the peatswamp is drained or cleared to be turned into developed areas, which requires removing the peat layer from  the forest, carbon will be released. The released carbon dioxide will further worsen global warming and the subsequent climate change, which, without being hyperbolic, is the greatest existential threat facing us.

KLNFR is biodiversity rich. It reportedly contains two threatened trees (GEC 2015) as classified by the Red List of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the “Vulnerable” Meranti Bakau Shorea uliginosa, the “Endangered” Meranti Bunga Shorea teysmanniana. Even more special, KLNFR contains two creatures that in the world are found only in Selangor, i.e., Selangor endemics, the Selangor Pygmy Flying Squirrel  Petaurillus kinlochii, and the rare Langat Red Fighting Fish Betta livida.

And, as suggested by Faizal Parish, head of Global Environment Centre (GEC), given its proximity to Kuala Lumpur International Airport, KLIA, it is within easy reach to international travelers to showcase it as to its uniqueness and biodiversity, having Orang Asli as nature guides for example.

Given that it is a peat swamp forest, which is getting significantly depleted due to conversions to oil palm and other cultivations, and for development in general, it is imperative to preserve it.