BY JAROD LIM

Hafiz will be representing TTDI residents and park lovers with a legal team at the hearing on Aug 29.

TAMAN Tun Dr Ismail residents have been invited by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to attend a hearing on Aug 29 with regards to their objection to the proposed high-rise development near Taman Rimba Kiara.

TTDI Residents Association (RA) chairman Abdul Hafiz Abu Bakar said the RA had received the letter of invitation from DBKL last week for the hearing under Rule 5 of the Planning Development Amendment Rules 1994, a by-law under the Federal Territory Planning Act 1982.

Rule 5 is a provision of law that requires the mayor to refer to the registered owners of the adjacent land, through advertisements in newspapers and exhibition to invite objections to the application for development that involves the conversion of land use, zoning or increase in residential density.

“We will represent TTDI residents and park lovers at the meeting together with our legal team which we set up in June.

“Our lawyers are in the midst of preparing the details and we are optimistic that we can make a strong case against the development,” Abdul Hafiz said during the inaugural “Save Taman Rimba Kiara” Merdeka Picnic held near Taman Rimba Kiara recently.

About 250 residents attended the picnic which aimed to foster unity and solidarity among the residents prior to the National Day celebrations as well as to prevent the park from being used for commercial or residential development.

The proposed development project by Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan on Lot PT 9244, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad, next to the Taman Awam Berskala Besar Bukit Kiara, includes one block of affordable homes for longhouse residents and eight blocks of serviced apartments ranging from 42 to 54 storeys with 1,766 units.

It was previously reported in StarMetro that TTDI residents had attended a peaceful protest against the proposed development on June 26 as they were afraid it would encroach into Taman Rimba Kiara.

On June 29 when the objection period ended, the RA submitted a petition with 5,600 signatures of residents and park lovers who opposed the project; 2,700 of which were TTDI residents.

It was also reported that Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the project would not encroach into the park.

“We believe the project will include taking over the parking lot and the empty land outside the park, and we consider these two places as part of the park as well.

“The project is still at the planning stage and has yet to be approved.

“We will make our stand clear during the hearing, which is to allow the affordable homes to be built, to push for the gazetting of Taman Rimba Kiara as a public park, and to prevent any development encroaching into the park,” Abdul Hafiz said.