COMMENT | This story is about how suspected tampering of the draft Shah Alam Local Plan 2035 may lead to the destruction of a large intact natural green lung situated right in the centre of Shah Alam.

Literally by the stroke of a (coloured) stylus pen, a key land-use map is manipulated to indicate that this green lung is to be converted into a high-density mixed development.

Readers may form their own conclusions whether this action was deliberate or just a careless mistake.

The Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam (MBSA) issued its Draf Rancangan Tempatan MBSA 2035 (DRTMBSA2035) for public feedback in August 2020 in accordance with the requirement of the Town and Country Planning Act 1972.

Structure/ local Plans set the vision for development planning for the next 10 to 15 years, and more importantly, pre-determines land-use zoning.

All development programmes have to legally adhere to these plans, as attested by the recent ruling by the Environmental Quality Act Appeal Board, where the Environmental Impact Assessment for the Penang South Islands Reclamation project was rejected because of non-conformity to the Penang Structure Plan.

The DRTMBSA2035 attracted much public attention because of the proposed conversion of the Shah Alam Community Forest. The year-long saga is not resolved yet.

In the latest twist, state executive councillor Hee Loy Sian claimed the forest had been excised to private developers by...