THE Federal Territories Land Office has confirmed that the land where three flood detention ponds are located has been given to a private company for a mixed-development project.
Kepong Community Service Centre head Yee Poh Ping and the Taman Wahyu Residents’ Association questioned the change of ownership of the land to the company from the Land Working Committee (UJKT) of the Federal Territories during a press conference earlier.
The three detention ponds were the Jinjang, Wahyu and Batu flood detention ponds. Detention ponds hold water for a short period of time; this pond temporarily holds water before it enters the stream while retention ponds maintain a pool of water throughout the year and hold stormwater runoff following storms.
Federal Territories Land Office director Muhammad Yasir Yahya said the land was previously owned by the government.
“During a meeting on Oct 9, 2015, UJKT approved the change of ownership for 32.37ha of the land, where the ponds are, to the company for a mixed-development project,” he said in an e-mail response.
Muhammad Yasir said other than taking into consideration the technical views of government agencies such as Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID), the approval was done through a screening in terms of physical and social aspects of the area.
“One of the main conditions in approving the ownership is that the function of the ponds remain to help with flood mitigation,” he said.
Muhammad Yasir said any process to do with mixed developments has to follow the development plan approved by DBKL.
“This must be done taking into consideration the function of the ponds as flood mitigation ponds in the area involved,” he said.
When pressed further for details on the project, how the land was given to the company and if the ponds would be filled for the project, the land office declined to comment further.
When contacted, Taman Wahyu Residents’ Association chairman Ong Kean Eng, 56, said they heard that one of the ponds would be filled to make way for the project.
“We will send an objection letter once the call for objections by DBKL is put up.
“The area where the ponds are located should be made into a recreational area as promised by DBKL 10 years ago,” he said.
Early this month, Yee said he had written to the DID and the Federal Territories Land Office for clarification after news spread that the land was sold.
“DID gave an unsatisfactory reply that the land was under the purview of the land office and said the information was untrue.
“With that, I wrote to the land office to get a better picture on the situation,” he said.
The reply from the land office, dated July 13 this year, said that no sales took place through the administration.
“On the land in question, the ownership approval process for it by the committee was done through a screening in terms of physical and social aspects.
“After all technical views were given by related agencies, ownership for part of the ponds was approved by UJKT during a meeting on Oct 9, 2015 to a company,” it read.
It also read that the main condition for the approval to the company was that the function of the ponds remained as flood mitigation.
The letter, however, did not detail what the land would be used for.
Yee said the land comprised 95% water and only 5% land at the moment.
“If the land is used for housing projects, then the ponds will definitely be filled.
“Then, where will the water flow to?” he asked.
He urged the land office and the Federal Territories Ministry to explain their relationship with the company and its background.
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