NO decision has been made with regard to converting the Kuala Langat South peat swamp forest into an oil palm estate, said Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

“The state government is presently studying how to resolve two existing issues affecting the forest — the farmers that are intruding into the forest, and the illegal felling of trees,” he said.

“There are two options being considered to resolve the matter. One is to plant forest trees to replace those that have been cut down and the other is to tackle the issue of illegal entry into the forest.”

StarMetro had reported on Tuesday that the state government had approved a Selangor State Agricultural Corporation (PKPS) proposal to turn the entire 6,908ha swamp forest into an oil palm plantation.

Since March 2008, the Selangor Forestry Department has banned logging in the state and not issued any licence for the purpose.

However, the department had reportedly been forced to issue logging licences and had been receiving several calls from contractors.

Environmentalists are alarmed by news of the proposed oil palm plantation and fear many flora and fauna would disappear.

Khalid was speaking after attending a lecture on prominent Malay language linguist and thinker Za’ba by Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris Social Sciences and Humanities Faculty dean Prof Dr Adnan Nawang.

Khalid also launched a two-volume book entitled Steps on the Straight Path that is written by Hussein M. Abbara and published by the Foundation of the Advancement of Knowledge.