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
National Physical Plan

• 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.

(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 plans 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 MNSs
  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 allege conflict of interest

• 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.

Esa He was one 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, lets 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_at_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 [phone] 7784 4977
• Fax [phone]
• Email empower05_at_gmail.com