Amirudin says gazettement of the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve is ongoing.
Selangor government is reviewing the proposed development project in the Kuala Selangor Nature Park to identify the environmental impact on the mangrove forest.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said several issues were being looked into, including the effects of wastewater discharge in the area.
“Several state agencies have been roped in to carry out the review.
“If any adverse impact is identified, another area might be allocated for the project instead,” he said, adding that the public facilities there would remain untouched.
Amirudin said this after the groundbreaking ceremony of the NCT Smart Industrial Park in Sepang, Selangor.
Last year, there was news that 84ha of the nature park was earmarked for a RM100mil chalet development by a private investor.
A 30-year permit was reportedly issued to the developer although no start date had been set for the project.
The issue sparked concerns among environmentalists after it was announced during the state assembly sitting on Aug 2.
Opened in 1987, the Kuala Selangor park comprises a coastal mangrove forest (104ha), secondary forest (200ha), a lake (8.1ha) and coastal mudflats.
State tourism, environment, green technology and Orang Asli affairs committee chairman Hee Loy Sian, in a StarMetro report on Sept 27, had said parts of the forest would be gazetted by last December.
Amirudin, however, said this process was ongoing and that the land measurement process was recently completed by the Kuala Selangor Land and District Office.
On a separate matter, Amirudin said the gazettement of the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR) was ongoing.
Asked if this would be finalised before the state elections, expected in the middle of this year, he said this was not part of the consideration.
The 958ha forest was degazetted in 2020 to make way for a mixed development project, before the state government decided to regazette it in 2021.
On another matter, Amirudin said Selangor hoped to increase its contribution to the national gross domestic product (GDP) between 0.2% and 0.5% this year.
He said the forecast was made based on the state’s economic performance from 2017 to 2022 which saw Selangor’s contribution to the national GDP increase from 24.3% in 2020 to 24.8% in 2021.
“We are confident of achieving 26% to 27% contribution to the national GDP in the next five years,” he added.
Also present at the event were Selangor state assembly Speaker Ng Suee Lim and NCT Group of Companies founder and managing director Datuk Seri Yap Ngan Choy.
