After Kelantan floods, Azmin wants Selangor developments to go green

Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali developments in Selangor would be bound by a new standard operating procedure which was more environmentally friendly. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 7, 2015.The Selangor government has come out with measures to ensure development projects in the state do not jeopardise the eco-system, after indiscriminate land clearing was said to be the cause of the severe floods in Kelantan.Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali said every development in Malaysia's wealthiest state would be bound by a new standard operating procedure drawn up to ensure it does not harm or destroy the environment."The SOP includes development at the hill slope, high areas, as well as drainage system and water retention areas in housing neighbourhoods."The new SOP includes ensuring that at least 30% of the forest reserve in Selangor is maintained and cannot be cleared," Azmin said.He said severe penalties will be meted out against those who encroached into the forest reserves.He said Selangor did not want what happened in Lojing, Gua Musang and Cameron Highlands to occur in the state.Azmin said today's exco meeting approved the setting up of a committee which will oversee the 12 local authorities in Selangor to ensure the SOP is followed."At the same time, enforcement and stringent laws are needed to ensure that natural disasters such as landslides do not occur."All of these will be included in the new SOP which will be used by state governments in the future," Azmin said.He also revealed that Selangor would cooperate with the federal government to assist flood victims in Pahang.Azmin said they had received a call from the Agriculture and Agro-based Ministry this morning inviting Selangor to assist flood victims in Temerloh and Bera.Azmin said this was a form of acknowledgement from Putrajaya, who saw Selangor as a state which came forward to offer humanitarian aid and assistance."We do not want political sentiments to get between helping flood victims. It requires the assistance of all parties including state and federal governments." – January 7, 2015