Warisan plans to make KK best livable city
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan Sabah, if it forms the state government, will focus on key areas to ensure Kota Kinabalu become one of the best livable cities in the region, acoording to its vice president Junz Wong.
He said the party would be implementing only one Approved District Plan (Kota Kinabalu City District/Local Plan 2030) as well as keeping the plan constantly updated and preparing as many other plans at the local level as necessary.
The Warisan government will be relying on a series of master plans and also neighborhood plans which will be used as the blueprint for the upgrading of the older and more problematic parts of the city, he said in a statement yesterday.
For example, he said areas plagued by flooding and traffic jams will be identified so government programs can be tailored and implemented based on long-term solutions to urban regeneration.
Junz also said Warisan would ensure the development approval process is rationalized so the majority of development approvals are issued within three to six months and no approvals will take more than a year. Its other plans are as follows: * Achieve design excellence by constantly upgrading the technical capability of the town planning department staff so KK City will be recognized as one of the best cities in the country.
* This will be achieved by only employing very highly skilled, talented professionals based on merit as design leaders, shortterm contracts for persons with special skills and for special projects, periodic training and overseas placements for serving staff. Unsuitable staff will be redeployed where they can.
* Urban Renewal Schemes to focus not only on correcting areas which create the most environmental, social and economic problems and which are likely to deprive their residents of the best chance to succeed in a modern world. Urban Renewal Schemes will focus on modernizing these areas with social facilities such as libraries, banks, pharmacy etc.
* Stop the Tanjung Aru Eco Developmen (TAEDl) project and other coastal mega projects which have failed to prove they will provide long-term solutions to Kota Kinabalu City's competitiveness and livability.
* Review Kota Kinabalu City's boundaries with a view to giving those responsible for the city's planning and administration a much greater control over the physical development of the city in terms of land use planning, housing, education, health, recreation and also the city's roads and public transport system.
* Earnestly embark on a program to develop Kota Kinabalu City into a world class city so visitors are attracted by its high quality architecture (design excellence) and public spaces balanced by lush urban tropical gardens.
* A major public park will be created within the city as the centerpiece of the city and a civic area for government and significant buildings. Tanjung Aru is one suitable area which Wairsan can propose.
* Major road corridors and vacant spaces will be landscaped so the city residents and visitors feel they are living in a garden.
*Promote the development and implement an efficient and sustainable public transport system which relies on a combination of light rail, bus rapid transport and water taxies and higher development densities on transport routes.
* Embark on a brave program of land exchange and redevelopment so the historical problems, for example schools being located in the wrong locations and land being left idle are overcome.
Junz added that a Warisan government will elevate town planning and actively promote design excellence so existing and future residents will feel drawn to living and working in Sabah and the best talents from around the world are attracted to the State and retained.