Two proposals presented on Taman Rimba Kiara project, Yeoh tells minister

Two alternative proposals presented for the Taman Rimba Kiara project is a sign that critics are willing to compromise on their demands, Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh told a townhall session this morning.

Addressing some 500 Taman Tun Dr Ismail residents, Yeoh responded to Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad who previously said a "win-win solution" can be reached if all parties are willing to compromise.

"From all the evidence presented, it shows that I did not just fight against the project.

"We try to be reasonable, we proposed alternative ideas, and we are willing to compromise...," she said although stressing that in both proposals, Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan (YWP) must return the Taman Rimba Kiara park land to the government for all the 25 acres to be gazetted as a public park.

According to Yeoh, their proposed compromise would be for the government to allow development to go on only within the 4.4 acres of land occupied by longhouse residents, without encroaching into Taman Rimba Kiara land.

"We stand firm and propose two solutions. One is to cancel the whole project, return the land to the government and have an open tender to build the proposed townhouses for the longhouse residents.

"The other proposal is to return the park land to the government and allow the project to be built within the longhouse footprint and not encroach into the park," she said.

"We have even identified a location for temporary rehousing of the Bukit Kiara longhouse residents if the proposal for the townhouses is approved," she added.

Yeoh said she had on several occasions met with Khalid to discuss the issue, adding that a group of Federal Territories MPs are also scheduled to once again raise their objections at an upcoming meeting with the minister.

On Thursday, Khalid said under the proposed scaled-down project involving about eight acres of land, developers would return half the land to the affected residents and the number of apartment blocks would be halved from eight to four.

In such a situation, Khalid pointed out that the developer would get their share, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) would save money, residents would get four acres back and the development would not affect the park itself as it would only use the car park and longhouse site.

'Not an opposition mindset'

Yeoh, who claimed that Khalid had accused her of having an "opposition mindset" against the project, reminded the minister that she has always been a part of the government, previously as two-term Subang Jaya state assemblyperson.

"I want to remind that I have 10 years' experience being part of the state government of Selangor. We were not the opposition.

"I have never been an opposition. I have more experience being in government than the Federal Territories minister," said the former Selangor state legislative assembly speaker.

In her current position as women, families and community development deputy minister, Yeoh noted that while she is not a part of the cabinet, the two proposals will be handed over to Khalid for further deliberation.

Khalid, in his capacity as minister, is also the chairperson of YWP - the ministry's charity arm - as was his predecessor Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

The Taman Rimba Kiara development is a joint venture between YWP and private developer Memang Perkasa Sdn Bhd.

Tengku Adnan is accused of having a conflict of interest in the project - approved in 2017 - due to his position as then YWP chairperson and because a business partner of the Putrajaya MP is a shareholder in companies that hold shares in Memang Perkasa. - Mkini