SEPTEMBER 14, 2009 – KG. PERTAK
Mr Tan’s workers were back again today to finally remove the fallen tree that has been blocking the ‘new road’ for more than a week now. They dumped all the debris on the river-facing slope and when I caught up with them they were busy extending the road they had stared on September 4th… the one that the Selangor State government says is illegal… so I asked to see their permit and the excavator driver proudly produced a photocopy of one to show me – he even held it up so I could photograph it. Here it is:
When contacted, district councillor Chua Yee Ling said she had personally checked with the land office in KKB and it had no record of any permit issued to develop this road. The forestry department and the water authority are also in the dark, which is strange considering this area is part of the catchment area for the Selangor Dam. So, Yee Ling told me, as far as the Selangor State government is concerned, the operation is illegal.
The permit is from the ICU in the PM's department. It's addressed to an UMNO member residing in the nearby town of KKB and is signed on behalf of the state development office as you can see below:
So what's going on? First of all, I'm suspicious of the document's authenticity. Take a close look at the top right hand corner... you can almost see the Tipp-Ex!
Secondly, if the permit is for real, then it looks as though UMNO are putting the proverbial two fingers up to the elected state government and are attempting to undermine the authority of elected state exco member for the environment, Elizabeth Wong.
Why else would the PM's department, or UMNO for that matter, take an interest in constructing an access road for a small handful of indigenous people? And if they are genuine, then why didn't they go through the proper channels and seek approval from the state government, the forestry department and the water authority? And why is the road so wide? It's supposed to be an access road to the Orang Asli's dusuns. And why aren't they putting in any drainage? Don't they want it to last?
I really hope the Selangor state government can get to the bottom of this. Otherwise a chunk of the environment is going to get destroyed - and for what? The area is already prone to landslips, and with no proper drainage and no strengthening of the slopes, I'd estimate that the kind of road they are constructing will last 2-3 months tops.
Oh, by the way, how much is all this costing?
Debris from the tree fall dumped on the riverside slope.
Illegal road works ahead!
2 comments:
Dear Antares, Please please do what you can to stop this. They are bastards, no less, I am outraged by this...Nash JB
Hi Nash, This is Mary. Ecowarriorz is my blog but I'll pass the heartfelt message to Antares. Actually there's not much ordinary folk like us can do now it's a political stand-off between the Pakatan state government and some rogue BN types who have decided to challenge or just simply ignore the state's authority. I'm keeping a watch on things - would expect landslips anytime soon coz they aren't making the road properly - no drainage etc and we're getting lotsa rain.
However the Asli are happy to get their road and I'm happy for them.
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