Forest degazettement

Dear Editor

I am worried that our descendants one bleak time in the future can only appreciate our forests and it's flora and fauna from documentaries and photos. Why? Yet another swathe of our forest reserve is being de-gazetted in Selangor for mixed development. 536.7 hectares of the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve will be developed for mixed-commercial development.

What does that mean? Simple. It just means yet another concrete jungle, yet another brick and mortar will be developed. In that area my projection is that it will be yet another high end project that will alienate the masses. Yet the irony will be in the advertisement and promotions. It will boast the greens and forest that will actually be removed to make way for such development.

We don't need more high end projects. We don't need more concrete jungle. What we need is to defend and expand our green lungs. Not just mere green lungs but our actual forest reserves to allow our flora and fauna to thrive. For our Orang Asli to be left alone with their lifestyle and not to couch lifestyle change in the name of progress when actually it's just yet another land grab.

What I would like to see in the future? I want such key decisions such as degazettement of our forest reserves which actually means environmental and ecological destruction to be put to a vote. Not in the hands of individuals or committees but in the hands of the people. Decisions with such long term repercussions cannot and should not be left in the hands of individuals or committees. Then maybe we can then leave our forests, our mountains, our waters and our animals alone for future generations to enjoy.