(From left) Lew, Rada commitee member Kan Yew Seng and Teh discussing their next steps. — Photos: LOW LAY PHON/The Star
Desa Aman Residents Association (Rada) in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, is preparing to take legal action to stop the redevelopment of nearby low-cost flats.
They fear the massive development would lead to severe traffic congestion as well as increase population density and rampant roadside parking.
The existing flats, built over four decades ago, consist of two blocks with 80 low-cost units.
The development plan is to replace the blocks with two high-rise condominium towers, 38 and 44 storeys high, containing nearly 700 new residential units.
Rada Special Task Force (legal and housing) chairman Datuk Dr Bob Lew said they were seeking a judicial review to quash the development order (DO).
“The anticipated density of about 1,200 people per acre (0.4 ha) for the project is simply too high for residents in the surrounding neighbourhood that consists of only about 400 double-storey linked houses,” he said, adding that this would negatively affect the entire community.
Lew said Rada’s opposition to the redevelopment dated back to 2022.
“Residents initially believed the project had been shelved,” he said.
However, their fears were reignited on July 28 when part of the flats was cordoned off to begin construction of a power substation, which residents believed to mark the first phase of the redevelopment.
“Rada subsequently wrote a letter on Oct 2 to Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif, to officially oppose the project, only to discover that the DO had already been issued in 2022,” he said.
Residents of Desa Aman fear a massive redevelopment project would negatively affect their neighbourhood.
The redevelopment is set to take place in three phases.
The first is the construction of the substation, followed by demolition of a multipurpose hall and the building of the first condominium block with 261 units.
Phase three will see the demolition of the entire 80-unit flats structure and construction of the second block of condominiums with 432 units.
Rada recently called for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM), during which the residents decided to raise funds to pursue legal action against the development.
“We are hoping to raise RM200,000 for legal fees,” said Lew.
Rada chairman Derrick Teh said the four-decade-old neighbourhood already suffered from a lack of infrastructure upgrades.
“Taman Desa Aman currently has only one entrance and one exit.
“If two blocks of condominiums are built, vehicles will choke up the access roads.
“Secondly, the gated-and- guarded security scheme used by current residents will not apply to the new condominium residents.
“Thirdly, with each unit only awarded one parking spot, we foresee extensive indiscriminate roadside parking throughout the area,” Teh highlighted.
Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai said the redevelopment was approved based on Kuala Lumpur Redevelopment Implementation Guideline set up by the then Federal Territories minister in 2020.
“The guidelines stated that at least 50% of the residents’ approval was required before any redevelopment plans could proceed.
“Although DBKL had increased the approval threshold to 75%, the redevelopment managed to proceed because 65 out of 80 unit owners agreed to it.”
He said his objection to the redevelopment at the time had been futile.
Tan added that residents could challenge the guidelines as they were not legislation that went through the parliamentary process.
Attempts to contact the developer for comment were unsuccessful as at press time.
