Selangor to nab culprits

Malay Mail 6th June (Malaysia)

Selangor to nab culprits

THE Selangor State government will go all out to nab the culprits responsible for the rape and plunder of the Raja Musa Forest Reserve.
Selangor executive councilor for Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment Elizabeth Wong said the State Forestry Department has the power to take action against the trespassers.

“We will leave it to the department to take action against the culprits. The department will station their officers there and they will report to me tomorrow,” said Wong yesterday.

She added that they will not lodge reports with either the ACA or the Police on the matter as their primary target was to nab the culprits.

On whether the State government would also investigate the Forestry Department for not detecting the plunder, Wong said it was a secondary matter.

“First off is to nab the culprits. Then, investigations will follow,” she said.
For 13 years, some 10,000ha of the Raja Musa Forest Reserve in Kua l a S e l ang o r wa s cleared illegally. Oddly, the relevant authorities claimed ignorance.

In its place are oil palm plantations, with many mature trees, but some newly-planted.

The Raja Musa Forest Reserve covers about 80,000ha and is surrounded by 976ha of government land. Trespassing there is prohibited.

The Kuala Selangor District Council has never approved any development in the area. From the main road where the forest begins, the cleared area is covered by mature oil palm trees already bearing fruits.