PETALING JAYA, Feb 3 — Claims that the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve has been handed over to a China-based company through a 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) subsidiary are completely unfounded, according to Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
In a statement yesterday, the Natural Resources and Environment minister said the 9.3 hectare area would continue to be a green lung in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, and that its management had not received any notice of being terminated.
“However the area surrounding the forest reserve is in private hands and could be used for developments.
“I would like to stress that the ownership of the Bukit Nanas has never been transferred at any point,” he stressed.
The minister was responding to claims by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) member and activist Datuk Seri Zaienal Abidin Omar who had on January 30 alleged in a Facebook post that the reserve would “disappear” after being handed over to China by 1MDB.
Wan Junaidi said checks with the Department of Director General of Lands and Mines found that 16 areas around the forest reserve has been transferred on September 29 last year from City Centre Sdn Bhd to Malola Garden City Sdn Bhd (MGCSB).
“This might be the land being referred to as being ‘transferred to China’ by Zaienal was referring to,” he said adding that MGCSB had to date been involved with upgrading works for the ministry operated interactive gallery at the reserve.
“MGCSB will develop a plot of land next to the interactive gallery in a joint venture with the government at a cost of RM20 million, which will be borne by the company itself,” he said.
“The company has requested that part of this building be used as a commercial office over a period of 10 years but no decision has been made by my ministry on this as yet.”
