A government plan to turn Kuala Lumpur into a world class city has run into controversy as critics claimed it would lead to fewer green lungs and more congestion.
Under the comprehensive Draft Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020, the government wants to transform parts of old KL, like the century-old Malay enclave of Kampung Baru, into a tourist district with art galleries and boutique hotels.
Lake Gardens - one of the city’s oldest and few remaining green lungs - will be filled with tall buildings.
KL citizens, empowered by the higher number of opposition MPs in Parliament, have stood up against the plan.
More than 26 residents’ associations have formed a coalition against the plan and urged the government to withdraw all proposals. The deadline for objections and feedback ended last weekend.
Opposition MP Wee Choo Kiong said: ‘This is a plan for a concrete jungle as there is very little green space involved. It is supposed to be more people friendly but this plan is more ‘housing-developer friendly’ instead.’
In cities such as London and Singapore, local governments jealously guard green lungs, he told The Straits Times.
Many residents’ associations and non-governmental organisations plan to challenge in court the legality of the plan, which they say go against existing development codes.
The plan falls short of its target to boost the ratio of public parks and open space to population from the current 7sqm per person to 11, said critics like the Malaysian Nature Society.
KL has 1,543ha of public parks. Kuala Lumpur City Hall, in unveiling the plan in mid-May, said it does not compromise the environment.
Not everyone is opposed. Property consultant Ho Chin Soon said: ‘Those who are making noises are selfish. If you don’t allow them to increase density in KL, you have to go to the outskirts and cut down the forests to build more houses.’
He said high-rise buildings should be built to save land for more public spaces. Traffic problems could be resolved by having underground trains and an efficient public transportation system like Singapore and London, he added.
But critics say the plan to surge KL’s population by 600,000 people to 2.2 million in 12 years would only worsen traffic snarls, raise pollution levels and cause more flooding.
In the upmarket Federal Hill district, close to Lake Gardens, residents are disturbed to find that a stretch of it has been changed from institutional land to commercial land. This means land owned by the government and used for parks can be converted to shops and restaurants.
Mr Lim Lip Eng, lawmaker for an opposition party said on his blog: ‘Generally, I have one solution. Scrap it. Redraft the plan with the inclusion of a wider range of public opinion.’
Residents’ objections to the proposal
THE Draft Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020 will guide the city’s development for the next 12 years. Here are the highlights and criticisms:
~ The plan envisages an increase in KL’s population from 1.6 million to 2.2 million by 2020 and expects population density to go up from 6,840 people per sq km to 9,577 per sq km.
Objection: Critics say the city is already facing a daily traffic gridlock because of high population density.
~ Tall buildings to be built in one of the city’s oldest green lungs, the Lake Gardens.
Objection: Residents want it to be preserved.
~ Some areas will be re-zoned as commercial centres, bringing them closer to entertainment outlets, theme parks and hotels.
Objection: Residents do not want institutional land to be redesignated for commerical purposes.
~ The 100-year-old Malay enclave of Kampung Baru is to be developed into a modern district, with tourist spots, art galleries and boutique hotels.
Objection: Residents have launched a petition to reject the plan and want the area to stay as it is.
Hindu groups say hundreds of temples, including several prominent ones, and two existing crematoriums are not included in the draft plan.
HAZLIN HASSAN
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