DBKL: Resume projects or make sites safe

Revived project: Ahmad Phesal (front row, centre) discussing the safety precautions that should be taken by developers with Quill Group of Companies group managing director Datuk Jennifer Low (front row, right) and director Datuk Michael Ong (front row, left) at Quill City Mall in Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. - Photo by GLENN GUAN

TWELVE out of the 38 major abandoned projects in Kuala Lumpur have been deserted for between six and 18 years.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib said Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) took a serious view on projects that were not completed as scheduled, which comprised mostly commercial entities or mixed development projects such as hotels and offices.

“We do not want to create such eyesores in the city.

“DBKL is prepared to consider applications for amendments to previously approved plans in order to assist developers in resuming these abandoned projects,” the mayor said at Quill City Mall in Jalan Sultan Ismail.

He said the abandoned buildings had not only become ugly scars in the federal capital, but also a serious safety hazard to the public.

“DBKL is negotiating with the former developers and in some cases the current developers of these buildings to fix ‘hoarding’ around the incomplete projects and safety nets at deserted high-rise buildings,” he disclosed.

He said such measures were needed to ensure the cleanliness of the surroundings.

“We are also making sure that the water containment in basements and holes that have been dug are sealed, to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes,” he added.

Large-scale projects abandoned or postponed from their scheduled completion date include serviced apartment and office lot projects in Jalan Ampang, Jalan P. Ramlee and Jalan Kovil Hilir, as well as a 52-storey hotel.

DBKL has successful examples to look to.

Quill City Mall is one of the revived abandoned projects.

Formerly known as Vision City, Quill City Mall was abandoned for almost 15 years after the project’s former owner Vision City (M) Sdn Bhd ran into difficulties during the 1997/98 Asian financial crisis.

The project was resumed in 2012 and is divided into three phases by the new developer, Quill Group of Companies.

The first phase of the restoration involves a shopping complex of eight retail floors with a gross floor area of 1.35mil sq ft, while the second and third phases include a 36-storey serviced apartment complex and 40-storey office complex.

The mall is set to be launched on Oct 18 and will be operational early next year. It will also be linked to three office blocks namely Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Menara DBKL 3 and the Bank Pembangunan Building on the fourth floor.

“What is important to me is not just the completion of this project but also its collective impact on the community.

“Once the walkway link bridge from Quill City Mall is accessible, the public will be more open to using the LRT and other public transport modes to get from one place to another,” Ahmad Phesal said.