Kg Sungai Baru redevelopment work to resume, says Johari

 

In January, a group representing the majority of landowners at Kampung Sungai Baru had urged the government to proceed with the long-delayed redevelopment project.

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has directed the redevelopment project in Kampung Sungai Baru in Kuala Lumpur to resume, to put an end to a six-year delay.

Titiwangsa MP Johari Ghani confirmed this matter, saying that he was informed of the decision last month through the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Berita Harian reported.

“The PMO previously granted an extension until Oct 31, 2023.

“With October behind us and November under way, there will be no further extensions. The developers must now complete the project.

Johari Ghani.

“I wish to express my gratitude to the prime minister for his agreement that there will be no more extensions,” he was quoted as saying.

In January, a group representing the majority of landowners at Kampung Sungai Baru called for the government to proceed with the long-delayed redevelopment project.

The group submitted a memorandum to Anwar, informing him of the importance of the project and expressing their disappointment over his order to postpone the redevelopment project.

It was previously reported that Anwar had ordered the postponement of the redevelopment project pending renegotiations.

Subsequently, Johari warned that the delay could see residents having to wait for over a decade for the redevelopment project to be completed.

Kampung Sungai Baru comprises 264 apartments and 64 terrace houses on 5.23ha of land situated within the Malay enclave of Kampung Baru in the nation’s capital.

The owners of the apartments and houses would be given replacement units in the new high-rise development project when it is completed.

The project began in 2018 but stalled after some residents refused to cooperate, prompting the developer to use Section 8 of the Land Acquisition Act 1960 in 2021 to order them to vacate.

Last December, the Kuala Lumpur lands and mines department director-general issued an eviction notice to the Kampung Sungai Baru landowners who held a 99-year lease despite many of them still having 57 years remaining.

Displaying names of absentee MPs

On a separate note, when asked about Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul’s proposal to display the names of absent MPs on the Dewan Rakyat website, the Umno vice-president said it was a good idea but its implementation needs to be explained.

“I agree with the proposal, but if we want to publish their names, then there has to be proper procedures and reasonable justification,” he said.

Johari added that MPs who hold Cabinet positions may have conflicting commitments that may cause them to miss Dewan Rakyat sittings.

He said MPs should inform the Speaker if they have other duties to carry out, including if they are out of the country or have state-related affairs to attend to. - FMT