With regards to the destruction of the Bukit Gasing forest reserve, I am writing to seek help, suggestions, advice and support from like-minded readers and fellow Malaysians.

As most of us know, the Klang Valley is very polluted in terms of air quality. And the Gasing green lung reserve is one of the last remaining tracts of greenery in the city. But our very capable town planners have steadily eroded this so-called reserve on both the Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur sides.

Of late, a very alarming trend has been developing quietly on the Pantai Dalam side of the reserve. Large areas have been cleared - presumably by the DBKL - for construction of low-cost apartments. There are also talks to clear another portion of the hill to build condominiums which will undoubtedly have a wishy washy green name.

One just has to drive around the Pantai Dalam area to realise it is a Wild Wild West. Many of the communities there are not even Malaysians but Indonesians. I am sure the honourable member of parliament for the area will violently dispute this as they are, after all her constituents and voters!

These 'Malaysians' have cleared some choice real estate on the hills and have built all sorts of homes. There are all sorts of restaurants, workshops and other business premises that I doubt have been licenced, much less planned officially.

How can I get the attention of the prime minister, the area's MP, the minister for natural resources and environment and the DBKL folks to stop the haphazard development in the area before the whole place just ends up as one huge urban ghetto?

Cutting the trees and the hills of Gasing is not the answer. Those trees and the habitat they support have taken years to develop. A bad decision influenced by money or politics will have long-term repercussions. The consequences will be felt by generations to come. Respect the small things and the big things will look after themselves.

I ask all my fellow malaysiakini readers to spread the word and spare a few minutes to help raise the awareness level on what is happening to Gasing Hill before it is too late. I am sure the kindness will be repaid many times.