He said the southern route would affect seven Orang Asli areas, adding that the northern alignment was designed to minimise the project’s impact on the environment.

“If it is implemented, the southern alignment will also affect Malay reserve lands in Beranang, Jenderam and Dengkil,” he told a press conference today.

Wee also said the northern route would only pass three water catchment areas in Mentakab and Port Klang while the southern alignment was slated to cross at least four.

He said the validity period of the environmental impact assessment report, first approved in April 2018, had been extended in March last year, allowing the government to further study the ECRL’s environmental effects.

He said the northern alignment would also not enter the Batu Dam area, which provides water for residents in the Klang Valley, as well as the Gombak Selangor Quartz Ridge which is in the process of being certified as a Unesco world heritage site.

The Selangor government, however, prefers the southern alignment.

Menteri besar Amirudin Shari said recently that the southern alignment (Hulu Langat-Sepang-Westport) would open more new economic areas, and avoid disruption to water catchment areas around the Selangor River Basin and land acquisition issues, as well as population relocation in areas involved in the proposed northern alignment (Gombak-Serendah-Port Klang).