KL City Plan 2020: KLites, time to speak up!

taken from nstonline:azira shaharuddin

KUALA LUMPUR: If you are unhappy with the air, the water, the streets you walk or issues related to the city, now is the time to speak out.

After more than 20 years of preparation, the Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020 is ready, and its draft copies can be viewed by the public from today.

The places to see the draft plans are City Hall (main lobby), Berjaya Times Square, TTDI Community Centre (library), KL Sentral (level 1), Gombak Community Centre, Carrefour Wangsa Maju (ground floor), Bandar Tun Razak Community Centre, Tesco Ampang, Kampung Kerinchi Community Centre, and Mid Valley City (level 1 and 2).

KLites have until June 30 to give their opinions on the draft plan to City Hall or voice their objections. After the deadline, the plan will be approved. Among the locations earmarked for development are Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Berjaya Times Square, TTDI Community Centre (library), KL Sentral station and Mid Valley City.
With the availability of the draft plan, the public can now have a good idea of how KL is going to be developed in the future.

Seputeh MP Teresa Kok said she hopes the views and requests of the public are accepted by City Hall and incorporated into the plan.

She urged members of the public to get a copy of the plan (which will be on sale from today), study it and voice their opinions.

Teresa said she was invited twice for meetings with City Hall to formulate the plan but she could not attend as the notice was given at the last minute.

"It gives the impression that Kuala Lumpur City Hall doesn't want to consult the MPs," she said.

Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai said: "Members of the public should get a copy of the book as this has important consequences on our way of living in the future.

He said the plan defines usage of land in the city and other important aspects of town planning such as public transport, basic amenities and green lungs.

He suggested that Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique allow all the Kuala Lumpur MPs to attend the meetings to study proposals and objections by KLites and residents' associations.

"We are representatives of the people, we know our areas well, he said.

Tan said he would meet soon with residents in Cheras and tell them what would happen to their neighbourhoods.

"I will gather their feedback and give it to City Hall on their behalf."

Local government and city planning expert, Derek Fernandez said the draft plan is a detailed zoning and development plan of Kuala Lumpur as required by law since 1984.

"It's an important plan to determine locations of the high rise projects, green lungs and many more. It's like the architect plan of a house such as the location of the bathroom, bedroom but on a bigger scale," he said.

Derek said if the Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2020 is approved with everything clearly spelt out, it would lead to fewer disputes with the residents and the local authorities.

"If the plan is too general, it can give rise to contentious issues. But once the plan is gazetted, there would be no more public hearing and the residents have to comply with everything in the plan," he said.

He said city folk should ask for the right to be heard even after the plan was approved as even the Petaling Jaya Local Draft Plan 1 allows it.