The Future of Kuala Lumpur: Draft KL City Plan 2020

1. The Future of Kuala Lumpur:Draft KL City Plan 2020

2. What will be the future of Kuala Lumpur from a sustainable development perspective for a liveable city? What can you and I do ?

3. What is Draft KL City Plan 2020? • It contains detailed information on land use and development, the environment, infrastructure and open spaces in the city. • It is required by law to be consistent with the policies of the Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2020 Section 13(6) and the National Physical Plan. (Malay Mail, 14 May 2008)

4. How does it affect you? • The plan should check potential abuse in terms of changing land use, increasing built- up areas and increasing density. It should be used to keep unsustainable development in check. (Malay Mail, 14 June 08)

5. What do people say about the draft KLCP?

6. KLites said: • Insufficient time to analyse and respond to the plan • Is hard to understand the plan • Short project objection hearings • Lack of information on proposed projects • Once gazetted, it cannot be questioned • (Malay Mail, 16 May 08)

7. KL plan ‘fatally flawed’ • “The fundamental flaw of the plan is that it is being prepared on the basis that it has to cater for an additional 600,000 people in the Federal Territory by 2020,” said Derek Fernandez, a local government expert. • “It is in contrast with the policies in the National Physical Plan (NPP) which is legally binding on the Federal Territory which provides sufficient land to cater for a total population growth of 8.5 million in Kuala Lumpur, Klang Valley and Seremban combined.” (The Star, 26 May 08)

8. (The Star, 26 May 08)

9. NPP is the legally binding blueprint for sustainable development under the Federal Territory Planning Act The NPP provides that the density of KL is to be reduced to the minimum sustainable figure of 25 people per hectare. National Physical Plan (The Star, 26 May 08)

10. National Physical Plan • In fact, the NPP identifies that the gross density of KL is higher than 25; nevertheless it is mandatory that 25persons/ha is applicable to KL. • On the contrary, the KL plan attempts to increase the density to a ridiculous figure of 95persons/ha. (The Star, 26 May 08)

11. Architect David Mizan: ‘There are many errors, some incomplete information and elements which contradicted existing development conditions. (The Star, 26 May 08)

12. Despite the plan’s imperfections, David Mizan is confident that if the city is able to provide easy accessibility, enough open space, and maintain adequate green areas KL will be able to sustain a large population. (The Star, 26 May 08)

13. Does the plan promote sustainable development? • In KL, some believe the increase in density is the source of problems of poor quality of life, traffic jams, flooding, loss of green areas, lack of space, pollution, congestion and even unemployment. • One indicator of non-sustainable development is the small amount of public recreation space available. (The Star, 26 May 08)

14. Not only does the local plan violates this, it arbitrarily imposes a 11sq metre per person by 2020, and even has the audacity to suggest 23% of this has got to be made up of private open spaces because there is not enough public land. (The Star, 26 May 08)

15. Strengthen existing laws to prohibit the de-gazetting of forest reserves • “The gazetted open spaces, recreational and sports facilities in KL in 2000 accounts for 6.52% of the total KL land use,” said MNS’s vice-president, Datuk Dr Hashim Abdul Wahab. Concerned ones: Panel of speakers at the KL Green Lung seminar organised by Malaysian Nature Society. (The Star, 16 June 08)

16. “However, if we were to add in the unused green areas or ungazetted land, the figure would increase up to 36% – this will be most suitable towards reaching a world-class city status,” Datuk Dr Hashim Abdul Wahab added. (The Star, 16 June 08)

17. Transparency in the hearing process? • Who comprises the Public Opinion Hearing Committee (POHC)? • What were the selection criteria? • Who comprises the Final Decision-making Body? • How is the public assured that the final decisions are objective and independent?

18. CITY folks are shocked that the mayor of Kuala Lumpur has appointed Datuk Esa Mohamed as chairman of the Public Opinion Hearing Committee (POHC) that will hear the objections pertaining to the Draft KL City Plan 2020. City folks allege conflict of interest Esa: He wasone of the leading consultants hired by the DBKL to draw up the draft plan.

19. Esa, a town planner and architect, was one of the leading consultants hired by the DBKL to draw up the the draft plan and he is also a City Hall Advisory Board member. The public is questioning the legality of the POHC and the Decision-making Committee. • Many fear that the people who made the proposals to the draft plan are ironically going to be the ones who decide on the hearing. They fear that this will lead to prejudice. (The Star, May 21, 2008)

20. What do others say? • Local government expert Derek Fernandez said in other states the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (TCPA) is clear on the point that the person who proposes the draft is not the person who decides on it. (The Star, May 21, 2008)

21. Town Planning expert Dr Kamaruzaman Ujang felt there is no conflict of interest at this stage. It is just an objection hearing and what is important is the appeal stage. People should be more concerned about this. If the same people are sitting there, than we have a problem. (The Star, May 21, 2008)

22. So, let’s see what we can do. 

23. Tell your friends and neighbours or anyone who loves KL to: BEFORE 28 August 2008 contact Coalition to Save Kuala Lumpur (CSKL) secretariat: Thevi 012 221 2906 thevi.thevi@gmail.com to sign the Draft KL Plan Objection Form. The more forms, the louder our voices!

24. This information was brought to you by EMPOWER (Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor) Tel: 03 7770 1475/ 03 7784 4977 Fax: 03 7784 4978 Email: empower05@gmail.com