THE authorities have been urged to provide stronger safeguards for all gazetted green and public open spaces in Kuala Lumpur to ensure they remain permanently protected.
Cheras Federal Territories Residents’ Representative Council committee member Sukhdev Singh Cheema said loopholes in the existing system leave these vital spaces vulnerable.
“We have seen many lands in Kuala Lumpur, which were once gazetted for various public purposes, be degazetted to make way for development.
“Even though we have guidelines like the Kuala Lumpur Local Plan (PTKL) 2040, it can always be amended whenever the authorities deem it necessary,” Sukhdev said.
In a StarMetro report titled “KL planning gaps risk costly payout” published on Feb 13, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh was reported as saying that the local plan served as a guide and was not entirely static.
She said amendments might be justified for essential public works, such as flood mitigation, provided that public consultations were conducted under Rule 3 of the Federal Territory (Planning) Act 1982.
To counter this vulnerability, Sukhdev suggested that an Act be introduced to dictate that any land degazettement must be brought to Parliament.
“This allows the decision to be made by 222 MPs, not just one or two people.
“It would also push the authorities to think more carefully before gazetting land for any purpose in the first place.”
He stressed that the gazettement of a playground (Lot 39747) and a community hall (Lot 39725) in Taman Segar, Cheras into green and public open spaces took a long time.
According to a series of letters written by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the Federal Territories Director of Land and Mines Office, the gazettement process for both pieces of land began in May last year.
DBKL also stated that before a local plan can be amended, it must be given time to be fully implemented – without specifying how long – to ensure transparency and maintain public confidence in the plan.
On May 7, it was officially announced that both pieces of land had finally been gazetted as green and public open spaces.
“Having an Act is therefore important to guarantee a gazettement stays intact without being abruptly changed again,” Sukhdev said.
Meanwhile, Taman Segar Rukun Tetangga chairman Richard Siew said residents were relieved by the gazettement, as the playground and community hall were now preserved.
“The playground provides a safe space for children to play and for the elderly to exercise.
“The community hall will also be able to host more local events,” he said.
The playground and community hall are part of four new sites recently gazetted as green and public open spaces in Kuala Lumpur, bringing the city’s total number to 543.
