Frank Yeh, the spokesman for the residents’ association of Taman Desa Phase One off Jalan Klang Lama, said they were not against development but only wanted it to be done in an orderly and sustainable manner.
“The government spent a lot money and effort to draw up the Kuala Lumpur City Plan. The version that was produced in 2012 contained several compromises.
“I still don’t understand why the government didn’t gazette that (2012) version instead the 2015 version,” Yeh said, referring to the version that was gazetted last month.
He offered no details on the compromises reached in the 2012 version, but said the government had been forced to make additions to the 2015 version.
“There is no logic to it. Even the addendum is not complete,” he said.
“After receiving complaints from (the) Save Kuala Lumpur (coalition), the minister promised to include an additional addendum consisting of violations listed between 2008 and 2012.
“This may be the Malaysian way of arriving at a compromise, but is that really fair to the people?”
Yeh was responding to claims that the Taman Rimba Kiara (TRK) park had been rezoned to three different areas, including a mixed development zone.
In November 2017, a proposed TRK land development was approved involving the construction of eight blocks of 42- and 52-storey high-end serviced apartments (1,766 units) and a 30–storey affordable housing block (350 units).
However, residents filed for a judicial review into the legality of the development. A report was also lodged with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Yeh questioned the motive behind the government’s actions, asking if the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration was reverting to the “old way” of doing things.
“These land cases are already under the MACC,” he said. “So, MACC, please do something.
“We understand that they are overwhelmed, but this is the perfect time for them to come clean. All they need to do is divulge the information.”
Yeh added that the residents could only rely on those familiar with the Federal Constitution to fight on their behalf.
He also said that the 2015 plan gazetted by Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad contained many items that were deemed illegal in the city plan.
“In Taman Desa, there are plots of land which are listed under the 273 violations mentioned by the minister. My question is, aren’t these illegal?” he said.
When contacted, Abdul Hafiz, the chairman of the Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) residents’ association, said TRK was rezoned and split into two zones last year.
“Now it has become three. We are very disappointed. We are against the rezoning which was done without public consultation, and we feel that they gazetted the document illegally.
“We have sought legal opinions, and they all say that you have to conduct public consultations before you gazette anything,” he added.
He said they would appeal to Khalid to rezone the park as a public open space again in the 2040 Kuala Lumpur City Plan.
TTDI resident Henry Goh said the land on which TRK sits was already small to begin with.
He said it had also been well documented as an important site of biodiversity and a vital green lung.
“It is home to over 50 species of resident and migratory birds,” he added.
“More importantly, TRK was identified in the draft City Plan 2008 as a public open space, free of any development. The government of the day has a duty to ensure that it remains as such.”