Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah has urged Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to intervene in Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) attempt to evict an urban farm project in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.
Maria claimed that the project - Kebun-Kebun Bangsar community garden - enjoyed widespread approval from surrounding residents and was in line with the present government’s sustainability and environmental goals.
Moreover, said Maria, Ismail Sabri had commended the project, along with a similar project in Kerinchi, on June 5.
“It is ironic that the eviction notice was sent weeks after Ismail Sabri had acclaimed the farm as part of his World Environmental Day speech.
“This is not in line with Malaysia’s commitment to saving the environment,” said Maria in a statement.
Maria described Kebun-Kebun Bangsar as a “change-maker” in the Klang Valley because it teaches people how to grow their own food.
“The Klang Valley is running out of green lungs as they make way for mass developments. This farm is among the few places that have been preserving and cultivating greenery.
“We should be promoting more urban farming instead of trying to find a way to evict them. Especially in the current food crisis we are facing, there must be more measures taken to counter this, like promoting urban farming,” she said.
Kebun-Kebun Bangsar is located on a narrow strip of land on a hill with high-tension cables overhead in the upmarket residential neighbourhood.
DBKL served an eviction notice on June 27, five years after the farm - founded by architect Ng Sek San - had been operating with a temporary occupation licence (TOL).
Federal Territories Land and Mines director Muhammad Yasir Yahya explained that the eviction notice was issued because the TOL was for a nursery and that the premise contained permanent structures, which was a violation of licence terms.
Yasir added that his office had also received complaints about the “disturbances” caused by farm animals. - Mkini
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