It’s like we don’t exist’: forest degazettement shocks Orang Asli

KUALA LUMPUR – The decision by the Selangor government to degazette the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR) was made in May, but an Orang Asli community living at the edge of the jungle only found out on Monday.

Speaking to The Vibes, Kg Busut Baru village head Samsul Anak Senin said his community has been protesting the degazettement ever since the state government first considered the decision.

“We, the Orang Asli, have protested the degazettement since the start. We have announced our objection to both the state government as well as the media, and we will continue objecting,” Samsul said.

He also said that he was “shocked, sad, and disappointed” when he was informed of the decision.

According to Samsul, the fact that they did not receive any information on the decision and the Selangor government’s ignorance of the Orang Asli's demands were clear signs of the community’s marginalisation.

“It is like we don’t exist in Selangor. Why don’t they want to listen to us?” asked the village chief.

Besides being claimed by the Orang Asli as their ancestral and cultural land, the forest reserve is also where they forage for their livelihoods, according to Samsul.

“We need the forest as it is part of our culture, and is our home and where we go to find resources and food. The land, trees, and animals there are valuable to us.

“I feel like the government does not see the value of the forest, except maybe in terms of money,” said Samsul.

In March last year, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari announced that two companies – Titian Jutaria and Menteri Besar Incorporated Selangor – planned to develop the land.

Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari has been summoned to give detailed explanations over the decision to degazette the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve to the PKR leadership. – Bernama pic, September 1, 2021

A town hall session was held in Klang during September last year, and the Selangor government received an overwhelmingly negative response towards the proposal to degazette the KLNFR.

Samsul said there had already been enough development, pointing to development in other areas of the state.

The area surrounding his forest home also has had “enough development”, the native said.

On Monday, Selangor tourism, environment, and green technology exco Hee Loy Sian informed the state assembly that the KLNFR had already been degazetted since May.

However, Hee said, since there were objections to the proposal, only 536ha from the 991ha forest were degazetted.

The degazettement of those areas, Hee added, would be replaced in three locations – Sg Panjang, Ampang Pecah, and Broga.

Meanwhile, PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that the decision went against both the Selangor state assembly and party leadership's wishes.

Amirudin will be summoned later today to give detailed explanations over the decision to degazette KLNFR to the PKR party leadership. – 

The Vibes, September 1, 2021