Yap says residents are concerned the additional traffic and influx of people will strain roads and facilities.

IT IS the last straw for residents of Taman Desa in Kuala Lumpur as they work to address the issue of overdevelopment in their neighbourhood.

The residents said at least six high-density projects comprising a total of 5,000 apartment units had been launched or were in the process of getting approval.

Taman Desa Residents Association vice-president Yap Biow Hwee said they were not against development but there had to be proper planning.

“We are being sandwiched between all these high-rise developments.

“Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is allowing more projects to come up without putting in place the infrastructure that Taman Desa needs.

“Once these projects are completed in a few years, the additional traffic and influx of people will put a strain on the roads and facilities that currently service 8,000 households,” he said during a dialogue with residents.

Yap added that repeated attempts to get DBKL to brief them on the upcoming projects were ignored.

Seputeh MP Teresa Kok brought up the issue of the ungazetted Kuala Lumpur Draft Plan.

“As the country’s capital city, how can there not be any gazetted plans for development?” she questioned.

The local plan, which outlines the implementation to achieve the structure plan, is in the process of being gazetted.

DBKL recently scrapped its 2020 draft plan and began discussions for the Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2050.

Kok said the residents’ objective was to have balanced and sustainable development in the area.

“We will start off with a signature campaign that will also inform people of what is going on.

“On my part, I will bring these issues up during the next Parliament sitting on Oct 23,” she said.