The Malaysian Insight

KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is not involved in the sale of a plot of land where three detention ponds are located, said a KL lawmaker.

Batu MP Tian Chua said the KL mayor confirmed in a closed-door meeting today that it was the Federal Territories Ministry that approved the land sale.

The three detention ponds are located in Jinjang, Wahyu and Batu.

“It’s the federal government, not DBKL, that sold the land. The KL mayor said it’s not their decision and they didn’t approve it.

“DBKL has no hand in the approval. It’s the federal government that approved the land sale,” he said, referring to the Federal Territories Ministry.

He said the sale went against DBKL’s original plan to turn the area into a recreational spot.

“The original plan to build a recreational park is going to be abandoned. I urge the federal government to stop this project, and the land sale must be reviewed.

“This is alarming, as KL needs to have more water-catchment areas to prevent floods.”

In a report by The Star on August 26, the Federal Territories Land Office said the land was given to a private company for a mixed-development project.

The office’s director, Muhammad Yasir Yahya, told the English daily that the land was previously owned by the Land Working Committee of the Federal Territories.

Taman Wahyu Residents’ Association and Kepong Community Service Centre head Yee Poh Ping had previously raised the issue, questioning the land’s change of ownership.

Detention ponds are meant to temporarily hold water before it enters a stream, while retention ponds keep water throughout the year and hold storm water run-off. – December 14, 2017.