THE sale of a large portion of prime land belonging to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) in Jalan Air Jerneh in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur for a mixed development project has not gone down well with several current and former Kuala Lumpur MPs.
Former Federal Territories minister Tan Sri Zulhasnan Rafique said all of the land should have been used to build the sports complex.
“During my time (as FT minister), the government wanted DBKL to build a full-fledged sports complex.
“We came up with a good design for the project.
“Of course there were developers who came to see me with proposals to develop the land, but I was adamant that this land is strictly for a sports complex,’’ he said, adding the land should never have been sold to a third party.
Titiwangsa MP Datuk Johari Abdul Ghani also expressed disappointment and said that DBKL should stop developing land for high-end residential projects.
“There have been too many cases of government land being disposed off in joint-venture agreements to build high-rise condominiums that only the rich can afford.
“When you enter into a joint-venture agreement with developers, obviously they are profit-oriented.
“DBKL should gazette all remaining land meant for residential purposes.
“It is getting harder for most Kuala Lumpur residents to afford housing in the city. DBKL should redevelop old government housing schemes for the benefit of the poor,’’ he said.
Setiawangsa MP Datuk Ahmad Fauzi Zahari also expressed his displeasure over the project.
“As the MP here, I should have been consulted about the project.
“I represent the residents. No one consulted me. Now, there is no point commenting about this (project) since it is a done deal.
“But I want DBKL to stop developing government land for high-end projects and focus on affordable housing for the poor,’’ he added.
Last year, Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai had highlighted that DBKL had been disposing prime plots through joint venture deals that were not benefiting the poor.
He said the deals were not made through open tender and there were existing facilities on the land.
“In fact, redeveloping these plots will cost taxpayers because DBKL will have to rebuild the facilities elsewhere,” he said in a press conference.
Tan cited the velodrome in Cheras, DBKL’s Health, Engineering and Mechanical departments in Jalan Cheras and another plot along Jalan Pinang.
He said other plots of land had been sold recently in similar fashion.
“DBKL has been saying that it is hard to find land to build affordable homes.
“The land where the two DBKL departments were located could have easily accommodated between 8,000 and 10,000 units of affordable residences,” he said.
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