MEDAN Damansara residents are irked by Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) lack of transparency and failure to abide by simple by-laws and the manner they were pushed around concerning a hillside development in the area.The residents are questioning City Hall’s grounds for approving the project.
Considering the damage done to the green lung, they are requesting an immediate stop-work order because the project did not silt-traps, hoarding and a plan to prevent erosion at the site.
Bone of contention: The development taking place on the slopes of Medan Damansara.
They are also requesting for a copy of the Development Order to be made public.
The project, which began in early December, is to build 21 bungalows costing between RM10mil and RM15mil each on 10% of the land that was set aside as a green lung.
Medan Damansara Residents Association secretary Peter Raiapan said the residents were also questioning if the developer had fulfilled all the conditions by the Drainage and Irrigation Department.
He said when it rained, Lorong Setiapuspa 1 turned into a “muddy river”.
“The developer has promised to look into it and assured us that a monsoon drain along the foot of the slope to drain away water but that has also not been done yet,” he said.
He added that during a meeting at the FT Ministry office in October last year, the developer had assured residents that access to the project would be through Jalan Beringin.
“Now, we are shocked to find that a few trees have been felled to build an access road via Jalan Kasah,” he said.
Raiapan said it was agreed with the developers that an independent environment consultant be appointed to make sure all conditions stipulated by City Hall were adhered to.
“However, the plan was to appoint Kumpulan IKRAM who are already involved in the project.
“That does not give them an independent position.
“We also do not have any answers on appointing an independent engineer identified by the association although we have submitted our suggestion,” he said.
The residents are also worried that the gradient, which is more than 30°, is unsafe for development.
“There were two landslides in the area in the 1970s,” a resident said during a meeting with Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng over the issue.
Also present at the event were Medan Damansara Residents Association president Datuk Seri Dr Abdul Shukor Abdullah, Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo, Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah.
There was also a surprise visit by deputy FT Minister Datuk M. Saravanan.
Emotions were running high among the residents over the development issue and their disappointment over City Hall’s lack of concern towards the people’s needs.
Saravanan promised the residents that he would get an answer within a week or two.
“I have heard you and now we should work as a team to solve the issue,” said Saravanan, who lives nearby.
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So many of these hillside developments that are problems have popped up all over Kuala Lumpur. In every case, DBKL is accused of having lack of transparency in their decision making, they have ignored the protests of residents and ignored the impact it’s having on the environment. What does this trend then tell you?
That whole section of hill is being demolished to accommodate 21 millionaire’s homes. Land that was actually set aside for the government. So why did it fall into the grasp of a private luxury home developer?
Saravanan also goes on to say he will get an answer within a week or two. The simple matter is, this case would not be an issue had DBKL followed it’s own guidelines, the Dasar Pembangunan Negara, the KL Structure Plan and the Town and Planning Act in approving the Development which should never have been approved. Why does DBKL constantly look the other way at the many laws we have? What are their interests in putting the interests of Developers first rather than residents? Are we the taxpayers not the Masters of DBKL who should be serving us? Ie putting our interests first?
What is the FT Ministry actually doing? What is its actual role in Kuala Lumpur? They said last week show proof that DBKL is Corrupt. I ask again. Hey DBKL. Why not prove us otherwise?
