Last Saturday, I was at IOI Mall with Menteri Besar for the official launch of World Habitat Day and Malaysian Environment Week programme.
Sitting on my left is Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, Yang DiPertua of MPSJ Dato Adnan, Executive Chairman of IOI Corporation Tan Sri Dato’ Lee Shin Cheng.
In MB’s speech, he mentioned the case of Saujana Puchong where the previous state government earmarked a 55-acre forest reserve to be converted into a cemetery. I had lobbied him and persuaded him to announce this in his speech that we, the present Selangor State Government would consider to convert it back to forest reserve.
However, before he went on stage, he was advised by the state planning dept not to make any announcement yet as an official decision had yet to be made. So when he did give his speech, he mentioned that he was aware of this case and that I had enlightened him about it. He said the state govt would look into the issue. The main issue for the government now is to find an alternative site for the cemetery.
The organising committee had a very creative way of officially opening the event which is to have the Menteri Besar together with 3 little girls, officially hang stuffed animals onto the tree to signify the biodiversity that exists in our forests.
The organising committee also organised contest for the residents in Puchong. MB then gave out the prizes to the winners of Enviro-Challenge Contest 2009 which was organised by MPSJ.
An exhibition was set up at the IOI mall. From L-R: MP for Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne in yellow, ADUN Bukit Lanjan Elizabeth Wong in blue, myself and Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim. This stall display various plants in the jungle. Here we tasted sampling various teas made from plants in the forest.
Dato’ Lee Yeow Chor Executive Director of IOI Corporation took us on a tour of their environmental exhibition which shows how IOI promotes green living in the properties which they develop. They organise tree planting at their Bandar Puteri Klang and Bandar Puteri Puchong township, create food and waste enzyme at Puteri Mart, encourage use of re-usable shopping bags and also provide recylcling bins at IOI Mall. Gary Chong (in red), my Special Assistant for DUN Kinrara was also at the event.
The culmination of the programme was when we left IOI Mall to have a short tour of Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve. Members of the public who signed up at IOI Mall were also taken there by bus for a visit, to create awareness of this forest reserve which exists rights here in Puchong.
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After the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve, I took Menteri Besar to visit the site of the cemetery at Saujana Puchong that was mentioned earlier. Reporters also came along.
Behind us are the residential houses which face the forest reserve. This tell you why the residents in the residential area strongly against the proposed cemetery. When the residents bought the houses, they thought they stay near to the natural forest reserve, so when the forest reserve turned to be cemetery, they were deeply upset and even take up the case to sue the government.