Degazetting Forest Reserves for Highways

The degazettement of forest reserves for the construction of highways here in the Klang Valley has irked many of the residents in the areas affected. The affected forests are the Bukit Cherakah forest reserve and Sungai Buloh forest for the Damansara Shah Alam Highway (DASH) construction cutting through it. The Bukit Sungei Puteh forest in Hulu Langat has also been identified to be degazetted for the Sungei Besi Ulu Kelang Highway (SUKE). Building works have already begun on the East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE) which will require the Ampang state forest, the Selangor state park up to the Ulu Gombak forest reserve to be degazetted. We speak to several grassroots activists who have banded together to object the construction of these major highways, to find out their concerns.