Article: Highway way too close for park lovers’ comfort

Monday July 13, 2009

IN line with a master plan for traffic dispersal in the Klang Valley, a new highway is being built to link Templer Park with Kuala Selangor. Known as the Kuala Lumpur - Kuala Selangor Expressway (KLS), the highway will form part of Kuala Lumpur's outer ring road. It is touted as the catalyst for future housing and commercial development on the northern fringe of the Klang Valley.

The big question is to what extent will this project jeopardise the environment? I am particularly concerned about the proposed Templer Park - Kundang section of the highway which will cut through the Commonwealth Forest Park (CFP), thus inevitably destroying the flora and fauna of the protected forest.

Were the NGOs, notably the Malaysian Nature Society and the World Wide Fund for Nature, consulted on the impact on the environment? Was there a proper EIA conducted to ascertain its impact, especially the question on the future sustainability of the CFP?

If indeed the CFP section of the highway were to be built at ground level, it would effectively cut the park into half, thus depriving free passage for the movement of wild animals. In short, this would be the beginning of the end for the park, one of Selangor's natural heritages.

I urge the Malaysian Highway Authority to consider realigning the proposed highway to avoid encroaching into the CFP. I feel it is still not too late to do so. In a worst case scenario, an elevated section of the highway through the CFP will provide free passage for the animals.

However, at best, this will only be an ad-hoc solution because noise pollution from vehicles using the highway will inevitably affect the animals' habitat and the park's resort.

It is of interest to note that the CFP was launched to commemorate the 14th Commonwealth Forest Conference in Kuala Lumpur in 1993 and also serves as Selangor's showpiece to the Commonwealth that the state government has the determination and commitment to preserve forests.

Indeed, the CFP is unique, as it is one of the few forest parks left in an urban setting. As such, I call upon the Selangor government and the Malaysian Tourism Board to muster all the powers and support at their disposal to ensure that this project will not destroy the CFP. They have a moral obligation to do so.

WCM,

Rawang, Selangor.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: News: Opinion 13 July 2009