Mont Kiara residents want 51-storey project suspended

An aerial view of the site in Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur where a 51-storey building has been approved for development. (Right) The broken pavement caused by works at the construction site.

MONT Kiara residents want Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to suspend the development order of a 51-storey commercial building in their neighbourhood and review the basis of its approval.

The residents submitted a petition to DBKL calling for the suspension of the development order. It was signed by about 6,000 residents.

Mont Kiara Community Society chairman Carol Lee said the residents also urged DBKL to show them details and all relevant documents of the project.

“We want to know the details in the development order, traffic impact assessment, environmental impact assessment and geotechnical feasibility report.

“We also want to know the reasons behind the change of land use from religious institution to commercial, and increase in density and plot ratio,” added Lee.

Resident Rita Dutta, who lives in a nearby condominium, said the construction work was sometimes done late into the wee hours.

“The workers have felled some trees and bored at least one hole, which is now covered. The tiles on the pavement along the perimeters of the site are damaged too.

The broken pavement caused by works at the construction site.

“We are very worried about possible damage to the surrounding buildings,” she said, adding that the developer scheduled a dilapidation study this month.

An international learning centre general manager Steven Shorthose, whose centre is next to the project, was worried about how it would affect his operations.

“I am concerned about the noise pollution and safety,” he said.

Lee urged DBKL to act fast to avoid further cost incurred by the developer that DBKL would need to compensate, if the development order was revoked or modified.

“Our contacts in the property development industry estimate the present cost to be about RM1mil.

“To our knowledge, there is a clause in the Federal Territory Planning Act 1982 that provides reimbursement to the developer, so it is crucial that the developer does not incur further expenses, to reduce the amount of potential reimbursement,” Lee said.

A source said Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan was looking into the matter.

DBKL advisory board member and lawyer Sankara Narayanan Nair said the mayor was obliged to investigate.

“The affected parties have a right to ask the mayor to check if there are any breaches of the Acts or rules and regulations.

“If there are, the mayor is obliged to impose a temporary stay order.

“It is unfair to tell the people to go to court as it will involve prohibitive legal costs, when the action is within the powers of the mayor.

“If the concerned parties are not happy with the outcome, they can file a judicial review,” he said.