SHAH ALAM: Nineteen non-governmental organisations including a political party this morning sent a memorandum to the PKR-led Selangor government urging for the cancellation of three highways projects in the state.
Among them are Pemuda Sosialis, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT), Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM), and Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) which had gone to the state secretariat building to submit the memorandum.
It was received by Shahril Said, who is the press officer to Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.
The memorandum had called for Azmin to immediately cancel the highway projects due to worries that it would destroy five forest reserve areas.
The representative of the group, Parti Sosialis Malaysia secretary-general A. Sivarajan said the memorandum demanded that East Klang Valley Expressway, Sungai Besi-Ulu Klang Elevated Highway and Damansara-Shah Alam Elevated Expressway be stopped.
He added that should the state government greenlight the three projects, it would affect forest reserves namely Rimba Ampang, Ulu Gombak, Bukit Cherakah, Sungai Buloh and Bukit Sungei Puteh Utara / Selatan.
"On March 16, Sivarajan said main newspapers had published a Public Inquiry (Selangor) Rules 2014 with aims of getting feedback from the public on the degazetting of Bukit Cherakah, Sungai Buluh and Bukit Sungei Puteh for the construction of DASH and SUKE.
"Now, the construction of EKVE is starting where as much as 106.6ha of Ampang Forest Reserve have been degazetted to pave the way for the highway. It is unfortunate that forest reserves that are close to a million year old would be flattened," he said.