SHAH ALAM, March 17 — The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has ordered the state government to continue preserving the state’s 108,000 hectares forest reserve.

He said the state government should extend the period of the moratorium for logging which has been imposed for 25 years since 2009 to disallow logging activities in the permanent forest reserve.

"His Highness has also ordered the Raja Muda of Selangor Raja Tengku Amir Shah, who has a degree in Ecology and Environmental Biology, to closely monitor efforts to maintain a green environment in Selangor with the target of planting no less than 11 million trees by 2026.

"His Highness is also of the view that the collaboration between the Forestry Department and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in conservation efforts and ongoing research will enable this permanent forest reserve to be utilised towards preserving geological, cultural and biological heritage as the seventh National Geopark in Malaysia,” the Ruler said in a post on Selangor Royal Office Facebook today.

He said the efforts of the Selangor State Forestry Department (JPNS) to preserve the state park will also be felt by the people through the provision of controlled climbing routes in several locations that are being planned.

He also wanted the name of the state park to be renamed the Royal Selangor Heritage Forest when it is officially launched in August.

Earlier, Sultan Sharafuddin granted an audience to the new JPNS director, Azhar Ahmad and former director Datuk Ahmad Fadzil Abdul Majid at Istana Bukit Kayangan, Shah Alam where he was briefed on the latest updates in the development and gazetting of the Selangor forest reserve through the Master Plan 2023-2032.

Tengku Amir Shah was also in attendance. — Bernama