TTDI vs DBKL: Are authorities “proud” of stay application dismissal, asks TTDI RA chairman

PETALING JAYA (Dec 14): Are the approving authorities of a proposed high-density development in Taman Rimba Kiara “proud” of the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s dismissal of a stay application to halt the project pending a judicial review against DBKL and the KL mayor, asks TTDI Residents’ Association chairman Hafiz Abu Bakar.

“They (DBKL and the KL Mayor) are the ones who came up with the KL Structure Plan 2020 to show that that piece of land is a public park and [now] they themselves took away the public park and turned it into a condominium project — are they proud of that?

* TTDI vs DBKL: KL High Court dismisses TTDI residents’ stay application

“So, the message here is that, even though the draft plan is not gazetted, they spent years and lots of money to come up with the plan, at least they could honour the plan.

“And here today, it has been shown that public opinion doesn’t matter at all. I’d also like to put an appeal to the developer, for the sake of a public park, please don’t carry out any work as of now, until the substantive hearing is disposed of,” he said.

Today, the Kuala Lumpur High Court had dismissed the stay application filed by the Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) residents to stop the proposed mixed development in Taman Rimba Kiara pending a judicial review.

The residents’ group was also ordered by High Court judge Datuk Wira Kamaludin Md Said to fork out RM40,000 in legal costs incurred for the stay application.

On Aug 23, 2017, the TTDI residents were granted leave by the KL High Court to pursue a judicial review against Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the KL mayor.

The judicial review requests an order from the court to quash the condition planning permission and development order (DO) granted by DBKL to property developer Memang Perkasa, which Malton Bhd holds a 51% stake in, on Feb 28, 2017 and July 13, 2017, respectively.

The proposed development involves the building of eight blocks of 42- and 52-storey high-end serviced apartments (1,766 units) and a 29-storey affordable housing block (350 units), thus increasing the population density in the area from 74 persons per acre to 979.

It also involves the construction of a six- to eight-lane highway. A total of 2,116 units of homes will be built.

To date, protests have been staged by the residents and a public dialogue has been held on Nov 3 with the FT Minister Datuk Seri Utama Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who promised to further discuss the issue with Koay but has made no contact with the lead strategist and coordinator or any of the TTDI residents thus far.

The FT minister had also insisted that the proposed mega development is not encroaching TRK.

A few days after the public dialogue, it emerged that DBKL had on Nov 6 granted approval for a property sales gallery to be built on the project site.