Abdul Aziz (centre) and SKL vice-chairman Datuk M. Ali (second from right) with other group members looking at the Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2020.

IN the absence of a local plan, the draft Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020 (KLCP2020) should be gazetted immediately, said Selamatkan KL (SKL) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman.

“Once it is gazetted, then the local plan can be updated or modified as required, either as a 2035 or 2050 version.

“We asked DBKL to approve and gazette the local plan so that KL residents have a guide to refer to,” he said after a meeting with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) Planning executive director Datuk Mohd Najib Mohd yesterday.

Comprising a coalition of residents’ associations from Kuala Lumpur, SKL said they were prepared to bring DBKL to court over their continued inaction to gazette the draft plan since it was first unveiled in 2008.

“The plan was supposed to have been gazetted in 2013 after going through objection hearings and consultations with stakeholders, but it never went through.

“The have failed in their duties by not gazetting the draft plan as per the Federal Territory (Planning) Act of 1982 which requires that a general structure plan and a more detailed local plan must be drafted and gazetted,” Abdul Aziz said.

The Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2020 was gazetted in 2004 and outlined the goals, development strategies and policies of the development of Kuala Lumpur.

The Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2020 was gazetted in 2004 and outlines the goals, development strategies and policies of the development of Kuala Lumpur.

Despite a plan to gazette the KLCP2020 draft in 2013, it remained a draft until last year when Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor announced that it would not be gazetted in its present state as it was due to expire by 2020.

“Both the structure plan and local plan are needed to administer Kuala Lumpur.

“The structure plan only details policies, while the latter details the use of each plot of land.

“How can Kuala Lumpur as the capital city become a ‘world class city’ which city officials have been advocating without a sustainable plan?

“The mayor must execute the law,” said Abdul Aziz.

He said he was told by Najib that there were plans for a new Local Draft Plan 2035, while previous reports said they would discussions for a draft Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2050 instead.

Also brought up during the meeting was ways to democratise DBKL.

“A representative local government will ensure an inclusive, participatory leadership while citizen participation helps ensure transparency and accountability,” he added.