KUALA LUMPUR — Subang MP, Wong Chen has voiced frustration over what he described as an inadequate response from Selangor Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari on the long-running Ayer Itam Forest Reserve land controversy, saying the explanation fell short of addressing key questions surrounding the land’s degazettement and eventual transfer to a private developer.
“I must say, I am disappointed and expected far better disclosures from our own Pakatan Harapan government,” he told Scoop.
The issue was raised through a question submitted by Rawang assemblyman, Chua Wei Kiat, who sought clarification on the historical and transactional details surrounding the sale of land by Selangor government-linked entity PNSB to developer Perano.
According to Wong, the reply “was a very short historical chronology of forest land from 1906 to 1926''.
“Syabas MB Selangor and Kerajaan Selangor for this interesting answer. But I cannot guarantee that my constituents in Kinrara and Subang will be satisfied,” he added in a Facebook post yesterday.
Following the response, Wong said his office would continue scrutinising government records and legal documents related to the controversial land transaction.
“As such, my office will continue researching government documents, including land titles and related records, to get to the bottom of how and why the land was sold in 2012,” he said.
He added that his team was also studying court decisions linked to the disputed land and its previous joint venture partners.
“We have also been reading up on the legal judgments regarding these 168 acres of land and the previous joint venture partners,” he said.
Wong stressed that engagement with residents affected by the development issue would continue, noting that discussions with the community were being held regularly.
“As usual, we will continue to engage with the affected residents. We have weekly meetings with them,” he said.
He also revealed that one of the residents had sought access to documents related to the land transaction through Selangor’s Freedom of Information Enactment.
Earlier, in the written response, the Selangor Forestry Department stated that the Ayer Itam Forest Reserve was officially gazetted on Nov 23, 1906, with an original size of 4,550.20 hectares.
“The Ayer Itam Forest Reserve was gazetted on Nov 23, 1906, with an original area of 4,550.20 hectares, and to date, the reserve measures 1,159.81 hectares,” the reply stated.
The department further acknowledged that multiple excisions involving the forest reserve had occurred over the decades since its establishment.
“Several excisions from the Ayer Itam Forest Reserve have taken place since the reserve was first established,” it added.
The response also revealed that the Selangor state government had approved the degazettement of part of the reserve nearly a century ago.
“In 1926, the Selangor state government approved the degazettement of a 64.75-hectare portion of the Ayer Itam Forest Reserve to be converted into State Land Forest for development purposes,” it stated.
However, the Forestry Department clarified that it was not the authority responsible for matters concerning the estimated cost of reacquiring the land or the mechanism through which the land was degazetted and transferred.
“With regard to the estimated cost of reacquiring the land, as well as explanations on how the land was de-gazetted and transferred through alienation, the matter falls outside the jurisdiction of the Selangor State Forestry Department,” the reply added.
The response has intensified scrutiny over the historical handling of land linked to the forest reserve, with questions continuing to surface over ownership transfers and the approval process behind the development. - May 14, 2026
The post Ayer Hitam controversy deepens as Wong Chen seeks fuller disclosures appeared first on Scoop.
