Objection to the Proposed Land Use Change from Forest Zone to Housing and Agriculture Zone at Lot 559526 Near Meru Valley Golf Club in Perak
Today, 5 January 2026, we, the local community especially those living in Meru Valley together with Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) and Sahabat Ekologi Perak (SEP) have been invited to attend the Local Inquiry and Hearing Committee Meeting (Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Siasatan Tempatan dan Pendengaran) – Draft Ipoh City Local Plan 2035 (Amendment) to clarify the objections that have been submitted.
This is following the submission of public participation forms during the Publicity of the Draft Ipoh City Local Plan 2035 (Amendment) which was held from 1st to 31st October 2025.
We object to the proposed change of land use from forest to residential and agricultural zone including changing the boundary of Planning Block 8 (BP8) to Minor Planning Block 4.5 (BPK4.5) at Lot 559526 near Meru Valley Golf Club covering an area of approximately 18.62 hectares (46 acres).
The proposed land use change, including changing the boundary, is feared to have a direct impact on the environment.
For your information, before Lot 559526 became alienated land, it had the status of a Permanent Reserved Forest (HSK), which is part of the Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve (HS Kledang Saiong) that was degazetted on 24 October 2019.
Although the land status of the proposed area has now become alienated land, we still object because the land here is still forested, the geophysical characteristics of the entire proposed area are hilly, the soil structure is easily eroded and it is an area sensitive to any activities that involve the destruction (alteration) of the existing land use.
Significant land use destruction (conversion) activities to other land uses in the proposed area, especially during earthworks, will cause the land surface to be exposed to surface runoff and slope erosion during heavy rains which can cause mud floods.
The proposed area and part of the Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve are also the habitat of the Siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) and several other wildlife species which are fully protected.
Land use conversion in the proposed area can cause human-wildlife conflicts.
In addition, although the proposed area is not one of the Geopark sites, the preservation and maintenance of the Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) is in line with the goal of declaring the entire Kinta District as the Kinta Valley Geopark.
Therefore, we hope that the Perak State Authority will reconsider and cancel the proposed land use change in the Draft Ipoh City Local Plan 2035 (Amendment) from forest zone to housing and agriculture zone including changing the boundary of BP8 to BPK4.5 at Lot 559526 near Meru Valley Golf Club covering an area of approximately 18.62 hectares (46 acres).
Malaysia is a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Paris Agreement and therefore States should be doing more to protect and conserve forests and not undermine the obligations under these international treaties.
Hence the State Authority needs to maintain the forest land use zone and re-gazette the proposed area as a protected area (PA) or Permanent Reserved Forest and also gazette it under the Land Conservation Act 1960 (Act 385).
Image extracted from the Draft Ipoh City Local Plan 2035 (Amendment)
Media Statement, 5 January 2026