Kebun-Kebun Bangsar now a model community garden under LA21 project, says DBKL

THE Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has lauded Kebun-Kebun Bangsar (KKB) as a good example of an urban farm and should be emulated by other neighbourhoods.

In a statement, DBKL said that the urban farm had received a lot of support from the media as well as the public for conducting agricultural educational activities to visitors. It has also received various grants from Khazanah Nasional and ThinkCity as a good "placemaking" initiative.

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Operating since 2016, KKB - which is located on Tenaga Nasional’s (TNB) reserve land between Jalan Cenderai and Lorong Bukit Pantai 4 in Taman Bukit Pantai, Bangsar - was given a temporary occupation licence (TOL) by the Federal Territory Lands and Mines Department (PTG) but following complaints on odour pollution, flies and noise coming from its various livestock, it was ordered to shut down on June 23.

This prompted an outcry of protest from residents.

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“The disturbance was largely imaginary and complaints came mainly from one neighbour who is now being challenged by other residents,” said Kebun Kebun Bangsar fiounder Ng Sek San.

On June 28, PTG issued a fresh TOL licence for the community garden following residents’ protests.

Following this, a meeting between representatives from DBKL, PTG, TNB and members of the community garden took place on Thursday (July 14).

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During the meeting, members of the urban farm were informed that their gardening project has been placed under DBKL’s LA21 programme.

"We will follow all their rules and regulations and will be cooperating closely with their LA21 team for other urban kebun farms in the pipeline," said Ng.

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They will also be able to seek DBKL’s assistance for compost, organic fertiliser, the building of a car park and drains for the building of other urban farms which KKB has planned to help set up in Kepong and Medan Damansara.

Ng said they will also be assisting Taman Desa residents who were evicted from their urban farm six weeks ago to look for another site and help them in the rebuilding process.

Under this programme, Ng was made to understand that DBKL would also bear the fees for the TOL.