KUALA LUMPUR - A total of 98 families in the Bukit Kiara Longhouse here will receive two free house units through the area's redevelopment solution that also maintains Taman Rimba Kiara as a public green space.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh said the original agreement only allocated one free house for each family, while the second unit had to be purchased at a price of RM175,000.
"(However), since they are also from the B40 group here, we have called all parties and negotiated. This second unit will also be given to them free of charge," she told reporters after the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Permanent Housing for the Bukit Kiara Longhouse residents here today.
The ceremony was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Hannah said the development, which is limited to an area of 5.76 acres (2.33 hectares), is expected to take three years to complete, with new houses being built first before the residents move in and the existing longhouses are demolished.
"We are taking this approach because we don’t want their houses to be demolished first and they have to move out and find a house to rent. I don’t want this community to lose its shelter before the new houses are completed,” she said, adding that the remaining development land will be handed back to the government to be gazetted as a public open space.
According to her, the solution is a win-win model that ensures that Taman Rimba Kiara continues to be preserved, while also guaranteeing the residents’ right to a better home.
At the same time, Hannah said a joint audit involving Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Friends of Bukit Kiara and the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) will be carried out to ensure the management, preservation and protection of trees in the development area.
"There are trees that need to be moved. So this one we will ask FRIM to come in together to see which ones are suitable for us to move into Taman Rimba Kiara so that we don’t have to remove all the trees,” she said.
Earlier in her speech, Hannah said the development of the area proved that housing for the people and environmental conservation could be implemented in tandem through an approach that prioritised public interest and community well-being.
She said the solution was reached after various negotiations and discussions involving various parties to ensure that the rights of the residents and the conservation of Taman Rimba Kiara could be implemented in a balanced manner.
"Today is not just a ground-breaking ceremony. Today is a solution to an issue that has been going on for 44 years. In 1982, the residents of Rumah Panjang Bukit Kiara were relocated with the hope that this relocation would only be temporary. However, this wait continued for several decades,” she said.
In addition, she also announced a special grant of RM100,000 to the Dewi Sri Maha Mariamman Bukit Kiara Association for the temple site that will be acquired after receiving development approval.
She said the existing temple site would be retained and officially zoned as a Non-Muslim House of Worship (RIBI) site, while the number of parking lots for Taman Rimba Kiara would be increased from 80 to 150 lots.
Also present at the event were the Prime Minister's wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar and Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud. - BERNAMA