The Housing and Local Government Ministry will devise a more structured procedure to ensure state governments gazette green lung areas without delay. Its minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan said it is important states avoid overlooking the matter, which may result in open spaces being ‘sacrificed’ for development.

Ong addressed the need to pay attention to the process of gazetting these areas, which under the present requirement, compels developers to reserve 10 per cent of the land area they intend to develop as green lungs. As land matters are under the purview of state governments, it is their responsibility to gazette the areas.

Ong said the National Landscape Department is now monitoring the situation to ensure areas allocated as green lungs tally with the areas that have been gazetted.

According to him, 9,127 ha of open space have been gazetted over the past two years, and these include public parks. Meanwhile, another 6,848 ha is in the process of being gazetted. The majority of green lungs are located in major towns and cities. The department had also managed to gazette 180 ha of open space in the prime area of Bukit Kiara, which is now a public park.