TTDI residents seek donation for legal fees

PETALING JAYA (Dec 26): The Taman Tun Dr Ismail Residents’ Association (TTDI RA) and Save Taman Rimba Kiara Working Group are seeking donations from the public to raise funds for the ongoing court case against Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) and the KL mayor.

On Dec 14, the KL High Court had dismissed the stay application by the residents against the KL mayor, DBKL, landowner Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan (YWP), developer Memang Perkasa Sdn Bhd, and Sundarem RA - which represents part of the longhouse community living onsite at Taman Rimba Kiara - pending a judicial review of the development order granted by DBKL to Memang Perkasa.

The residents were ordered by High Court judge Datuk Wira Kamaludin Md Said to pay RM40,000 in legal fees incurred for the stay application.

“We are seeking to raise funds in order to pay for expensive legal fees to challenge and correct this abuse of power/conflict of interest by FT Ministry/DBKL.

“Not only for TTDI but for a landmark legal decision, that will set higher standards of governance for public land and parks for our entire Malaysia!

“Same public/park covert land grabs has and is happening elsewhere in other [Malaysian] states and cities. [It's] a matter of national importance and consequence that will set a legal precedent for future cases,” a TTDI RA representative told EdgeProp.my.

Today, Malaysiakini published an open letter from an anonymous KL resident which called upon the entire city to come together in “keeping the authorities and businesses accountable.”

“Know that this is not just about a park in TTDI, or a few parties unhappy with unsightly buildings; it is a pivotal initiative against land grabs and an end to the pattern of secretly-traded land that ends up with residents always being on the losing end.

“This is about holding local authorities accountable. It is as much about fixing it systemically as it is about defending unjust developments in your own backyard. Enough is enough.

“Let’s translate our anger into meaningful action; make our voice heard everywhere. Let us flood the news and make it known what we think of the developers and the public officials they work in cahoots with,” wrote the KL resident.

To donate, the public can head to http://www.tamanrimbakiara.net/voluntary-contributions.

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.

The affordable housing have been earmarked as permanent housing for the longhouse residents.

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

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

The judicial review seeks to quash the conditional 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.

Protests have been staged by the residents and a public dialogue had been held on Nov 3 with the Federal Territories Minister Datuk Utama Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who promised to further discuss the issue with the TTDI community but has made no further contact with them thus far.

Instead, DBKL had on Nov 6 granted approval for a property sales gallery to be built on the project site.