It was a very joyous occasion for residents of Kota Damansara when Selangor Menteri Besar announced that the Kota Damansara Forest would be re-gazetted in three months time.Tan Sri Khalid bin Ibrahim attended the Earth Day programme at the Kota Damansara Forest area.
Under the PJ Local Draft Plan 2 (RTPJ2) drafted by the previous BN administration, stated that about 40ha of forested area in Kota Damansara, which is part of the Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve, will be turned into a recreational area. This included the land that has been developed into a Muslim cemetery. It leaves only 26.9ha as the forest reserve. The rest would make way for development, including residential housing.
The Friends of Kota Damansara, the group comprising representatives of Kota Damansara Residents Associations, have been fighting to save the forest from development
The group together with the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) as the adviser have started a campaign to preserve part of the forest, which they have dubbed as the Kota Damansara Community Forest Park.
They even managed to obtain RM380,000 from the United Nations Development Programme through its Small Grants Programme towards efforts to establish the park. The forest is still largely covered by rich lowland forest dominated by meranti-keruing trees, some of which are more than 100 years old. The forest is also rich in wildlife, including 227 species of birds such as black bellied malkohas, crested serpent eagles, kingfishers, broadbills, dollar birds and possibly even the rare argus pheasant. Eight species of mammals and 25 species of reptiles are also found in the area. The Community Forest project was a success and it is the first of its kind in Malaysia.
Since the political tsunami of 8th March,2009,Dr.Nasir Kota Damansara Assemblyman worked together with the FOKD to campaign for the forest to be regazetted. A first meeting was held with YB Elizabeth Wong, the Exco incharge of Enviromental concerns.
Many pro-UMNO quarters tried to divert the issue into a racial one. They were trying to highlight how a 'predominantly Chinese' FOKD was trying to stop a 'Muslim' cemetery from being build. However the elected representatives, Dr.Nasir,Sivarasa and Elizabeth Wong stood to their principles. During the Earth Day celebrations last year, they made a commitment to ensure the Kota Damansara Forest be reserved.
The long campaign by FOKD and the residents bore fruits today, when they got the assurance from the Selangor Chief Minister.
"This campaign is very special, as it was participated by the residents to preserve the area as not only as a green area but as a community forest, the rakyat have wholeheartedly understood the importance to preserve the ecosystem and also how the forest helps in community building. This is what we need, we need to empower the people to fight against the greed of the large corporations which seek to exploit our green lung." Dr.Nasir Hashim.
Pejabat ADUN Kota Damansara