300 UPSET OVER SHOW HOUSE NOD
Protesting TTDI residents say it was done in bad faith
MORE than 300 people gathered to protest against Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s approval of the construction of a show house at Taman Rimba Kiara in Taman Tun Dr Ismail here yesterday.
TTDI resident association president Abdul Hafiz Abu Bakar said they first knew about the approval during court proceedings on Nov 15.
He said the residents were upset as they would lose the public park to development.
“We had a town hall meeting with Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor on Nov 3 to discuss the matter.
“We were promised that the park would be left alone. However, during the hearing on Nov 15, we found out that City Hall had approved the construction of the show house.
“The approval was given to the developer on Nov 6. This was done in bad faith, so, we are holding the protest to show we are serious in protecting the park.”
On Nov 15, the application to intervene was submitted by landowners Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan, JV property developer Memang Perkasa and the Sunderam longhouse residents association, and was heard by High Court judge Datuk Wira Kamaluddin.
He then set Dec 13 as the hearing date for the application made by the plaintiffs requesting an order to suspend any further action from the developers and landowners until the suit ends.
The suit was filed by the TTDI residents association against City Hall in opposition of the construction of eight blocks of 42- and 52 storey, high-end service apartments and a 29-storey affordable housing block, which would provide 350 units of affordable housing for former TTDI longhouse residents.
It was reported that the longhouse residents had been promised affordable housing units to replace their cramped quarters since 1982.
However, they have refused to move and had rejected offers of flats and public housing. A six-lane highway and a flyover are also planned for the site to cater to the increase in population density in the area.