KL's new planning rule raises transparency concerns, gives excessive powers to mayor, Seputeh MP flags

• Teresa Kok, the member of Parliament for Seputeh, said the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Planning Rules 2025 were gazetted on June 13 and came into force beginning June 16, but was only discovered by civil society organisations one and a half months later.

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 6): A new planning regulation that was quietly passed in June has given the Kuala Lumpur mayor excessive powers to approve developments in the capital city, a government backbencher flagged.

Teresa Kok (pictured), the member of Parliament for Seputeh, said the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Planning Rules 2025 were gazetted on June 13 and came into force beginning June 16, but was only discovered by civil society organisations one and a half months later.

“I would like to ask the government why this new set of rules was gazetted without any public consultation or engagement with key stakeholders, particularly in terms of public participation,” she said in the Dewan Rakyat during a debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan.

The Rule 3 of the amendment to the Federal Territory (Planning) Act 1982 stipulates that the mayor may consult, if he or she thinks necessary, any relevant authority, department, society or any interested person.

The law also known as Act 267 empowers the mayor of Kuala Lumpur to make final decisions on land development, including granting planning permission.

“This means there is no guarantee that the public will be given the opportunity to voice their views or objections before a development is approved,” said Kok who is a member of DAP under the Pakatan Harapan coalition.

A new set of rules should reflect the progress in civil social awareness, she said, lamenting that the decision-making process is now becoming “less transparent” with the public not given the space to scrutinise or object to development proposals.

“It also gives excessive power to the mayor to approve developments regardless of community feedback,” Kok said, urging the government to re-examine and to provide clear explanations to the public on the new rules.

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