COMMENT | Is Harapan becoming BN 2.0?

COMMENT | In the “bad old days”, activists had to fight BN to stop all kinds of nonsense. Now, some find they also have to fight the Pakatan Harapan Selangor state government and its dubious tactics to cut down a forest.

I admit it is hard to get people motivated over saving jungles and wildlife. It’s easier to get people worked up over racial issues like Zakir Naik and three pages of Jawi.

But those who think, “aiya, this is just a greenie issue”, well, think again. This is really about the integrity of politicians. Today it’s about forests (and developers’ profits?). What about tomorrow? Tolled highways? Secret “donations”?

The rot was clearly seen in 2021 with the secretive attempt (by the state exco) to strip the Kuala Langat forest reserve of its legal protection (degazette). Then, for development, they wanted to hand it over, first to a company linked to state royalty and then to another company linked to a former Johor Umno Youth leader.

Now, another forest is in danger. Two groups are suing the Selangor government over a clumsy (and probably illegal) attempt to degazette part of the Bukit Cerakah Forest Reserve (BCFR).

Why clumsy? Because the state is...