Liu shows proof it was all BN’s work

Selangor state exco Ronnie Liu presents documented evidence showing BN's hand in approving the Batu Caves condominium project

BATU CAVES: The Selangor state government today provided evidence showing Barisan Nasional’s hand in approving the proposed condominium project near the Batu Caves Temple.

Ronnie Liu, the Selangor executive councillor (exco) for local government today showed planning approvals issued on Nov 30, 2007  that details the height, size and type of the development slated on the land.

“The approval, signed by the then Selayang Municipal Council president, Zainal Abidin Azim, was done with the full knowledge of the then BN councillors,” he said.

“The planning approvals state clearly that the whole development consists of two blocks of 29-storey service apartment, and another 25-storey apartment, with shophouses fronting it.

“Hence, no one, including the Batu Caves temple committee chairman, should put the blame on the Pakatan government,” said Liu at the site of the proposed development.

Liu’s revelation comes a day after a protest by about 300 people against the project, calling Pakatan state government to scrap the project.

Deputy Foreign Minister, A Kohilan Pillay, who was a MPS councillor at that time, said that BN was only responsible for the issuance of the preliminary planning approval.

He blamed Pakatan for the subsequent building approval and marketing proposals, paving the way for the project to take shape.

Debunking the claims today, Liu said the state government could not do anything after a planning approval is issued.

“Planning approval means an overall greenlight.  Kohilan is trying to bullshit everyone by saying that we can give planning approval but not execution approval,” he said.

He explained that the building approval, which was issued in March 2008, was the work of the BN councillors.

He said this was because the Pakatan Rakyat councillors were only sworn in, in July 2008, though they took over the state leadership in March after the general election.

Not bothered by legal threat

When asked about the marketing approval, Liu said it was under the purview of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government.

“It has nothing to do with us. Nothing has been done by Pakatan to support the project,” he said.

Meanwhile, Liu also announced that the Selangor government is bringing the matter up to the State Planning Committee for a total review.

He said it would take a month or so for the report to be released.

He added that he is not bothered by the legal threat by Batu Caves temple committee chairman R Nadarajah to press the government to resolve the matter within a month.

“We have already issued a stop work order, which would stay in effect until the matter is resolved. If he wants to sue, then he should be suing the previous government,” he said.

The Pandamaran assemblyman also pointed out that the Mineral and Geoscience Department, a federal agency, gave consent for the project against standard guidelines.

According to Liu, the guidelines stipulate that there should not be any development within an area that is twice the height of the hill.

However, the project failed to meet the criteria. Batu Caves is 326 metres tall at its highest point but averages at about 100 metres.

He said the State Planning Committee will look into how the approvals were issued to determine if they will compensate the developer in the event that the project is scrapped.

“If the approval was done properly, then there is a need compensate them. If there were fraudulence and irregularities, then we can choose not to compensate,” he said.

Also at Liu’s press conference were Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun, Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M Manoharan and Sungkai assemblyman A  Sivanesan.