A coalition comprising residents' associations in Kuala Lumpur has opposed the revival of the Federal Territories Ministry, deeming it unnecessary and unlikely to bring any benefits to the city.
Kuala Lumpur Residents' Associations (KLRA+) contends that the ministry's 18-year administration of the city has been redundant, with residents favouring a more cohesive governing body.
“Kuala Lumpur has witnessed a lack of holistic planning (and) localised ad hoc approvals for development that have strained the transport infrastructure with residents wasting hours on congested roads.
“(There were) questionably approved development on sensitive areas such as retention ponds and steep slopes, affecting soil and slope stability, (and) occurrences of flash floods.
“This further reduces the proportion of green spaces in the city which is essential for healthy living, societal cohesion, and mental health,” the group said in a statement today.
On June 10, it was reported that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the deputy prime minister, announced that he will bring a suggestion to restore the Federal Territories Ministry to the attention of the cabinet.
The proposal was put forward by Umno delegates, and Zahid discussed it with the Umno vice-president Johari Abdul Ghani.
Meanwhile, the KLRA+ pointed out that the functions of the Local Government Development Ministry and Federal Territories Ministry would be similar, further making the latter redundant.
It also noted that although the ministry governed Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya, the latter two federal territories’ local authorities exercise under the Local Government Act 1976.
The act governs how local governments in Malaysia, including city councils and municipal councils, are established and operate. It defines their responsibilities, such as managing development, public health, and basic services.
The act also outlines the roles of council members, including mayors and councillors, who make decisions and represent their communities
Maintain vital ministries
On the other hand, the group believed that the revival of the ministry is not practical, stating that the cabinet was already excessive in its size and that the government should only maintain vital ministries.
Additionally, the group claimed that there were instances of conflicts which arose under the Federal Territories Ministry’s administration.
“The concentration of power in the hands of the city mayor and federal territories minister has led to abuses.
“Numerous news articles pointed towards conflict-of-interest situations (including) institutions like Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan which has become complicit in the shenanigans of the high-profile Taman Rimba Kiara court case,” the group stated.
It was referring to a project proposed to be developed on a portion of the Taman Rimba Kiara public park, which comprised four 40-storey luxury service apartments and one 17-storey affordable housing block.
Several protests were held in 2016 and in subsequent years against the proposed development, leading the case to be brought up to the Federal Court.
On April 18, the apex court dismissed an appeal by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and three others to reinstate the controversial development order over parts of Taman Rimba Kiara.
The KLRA+ also expressed concerns regarding the lack of elected representatives and limited powers of MPs in the federal territories, specifically Kuala Lumpur, which has resulted in insufficient governance at two levels and restricted scrutiny of city hall activities.
The group suggested that the city should be brought under the jurisdiction of the Local Government Act 1976 and the DBKL must conduct local council elections to ensure a democratic selection process for the city mayor.
Furthermore, the KLRA+ also suggested that while a temporary arrangement of administering the federal territories under the Prime Minister's Department is considered acceptable, it should be strictly confined to the current term of government. - Mkini
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