Fahmi said the eviction notices issued by the federal lands commissioner were lawful, Bernama reported.

He said the matter was undergoing legal proceedings in court, and urged all parties to allow due process to take its course.

“The actions taken are in accordance with the rule of law. KL Tower is fully owned by the government, and the federal lands commissioner is acting within the bounds of the law,” he said in Johor Bahru today.

Fahmi was responding to questions regarding the government’s decision, through his ministry, to temporarily close KL Tower to allow the new management to carry out maintenance and upgrades.

His ministry previously said Menara Kuala Lumpur Sdn Bhd’s (MKLSB) contract to manage KL Tower had expired on March 31, and a new 20-year concession had been awarded in May last year to LSH Service Master Sdn Bhd, a firm controlled by Lim Seong Hai Capital Bhd.

While LSH Service Master was supposed to take over the tower’s management on April 1, a stand-off occurred after MKLSB and its parent company, Hydroshoppe Sdn Bhd, filed a suit against the award of the concession, alleging contractual breaches and misconduct.

The High Court dismissed the attempt to prevent LSH Service Master from taking over, resulting in Hydroshoppe and MKLSB insisting on continuing to operate the management of the tower.

Putrajaya later ordered the temporary closure of the tower, saying its previous management had been operating without government authorisation and ignored the two eviction notices issued by the federal lands commissioner.

KL Tower, located at Bukit Nanas in Kuala Lumpur, is a 421m-tall telecommunications tower with a revolving restaurant and a public viewing gallery.