Kamarulzaman who will clock in as the new mayor today will have to look into Mahadi’s promises.
KUALA Lumpur residents want new mayor Datuk Kamarulzaman Mat Salleh to honour promises made by his predecessor Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah, whose term ended on March 31.
They hope Kamarulzaman, who is officially clocking in to work today, would support and push for residents’ requests.
“We want the new mayor to follow through on promises Mahadi made on our request to turn Brickfields into a disabled-friendly city,’’ said Brickfields Rukun Tetangga chairman SKK Naidu.
“We held multiple site visits and walkabouts here and suggested ways to improve the facilities to ensure the area is barrier-free and safe for the disabled community,’’ he said.
Part of the discussions, he said, included ensuring the pedestrian walkways between Wisma MAB (Malaysian Association for the Blind), at Jalan Tebing, Off Jalan Tun Sambanthan 4 and Nu Sentral were free from obstruction.
The walking experience should be seamless and with facilities of international standard.
He added that walkways along Jalan Padang Belia, Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad and Jalan Thambipillay must also be free of obstructions, such as roadside stalls, tables and chairs.
Minority Rights Action Party president Datuk A. Chandrakumanan hoped the unfinished discussions about the fate of seven elderly traders asked to move out of their regular trading site at a food court in Little India, Brickfields, would be looked into.
“Mahadi was actively involved in this issue that had been dragging on for 10 years. He had instructed his officers to resolve it.
“We are waiting for the meeting with DBKL’s one-stop centre (OSC) to gazette the site where the traders have been trading for 40 years,” he added.
According to Chandrakumanan, the land owner, the Federal Territories Land and Mines Office, who had given DBKL a temporary occupation licence (TOL) to operate the food court, had left it to DBKL to decide on what to do with the site.
This was after traders appealed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to intervene, when DBKL failed to renew their licence that expired on Dec 31 last year.
“Initially, the authority wanted to move the traders out and build a public toilet at the site, while the upper decks of the food court known as Ruang Tinjau would remain intact. The Ruang Tinjau space has been leased to a restaurant for 20 years,” said Chandrakumanan.
“But during meetings with Mahadi and his officers, it was agreed in principle that the site will remain as a food court.
“This is only fair, since the building was built at a cost of RM1mil specifically for the traders and they should have a say in the matter,’’ he added.
Residents also want answers on the football field project in Jalan Tun Sambanthan 1.
Dr Christopher Nicholas is seeking updates on the field project that was promised to them multiple times.
“We have been waiting for a long time for this field and would like to know what’s happening.”
Mahadi had approved the construction of a football field and community hall on the former DBKL sports club site.
The project, that started on Nov 15 last year, is slated for completion on Aug 15 this year. But based on observation at the site, nothing much has been done.
Kamarulzaman was appointed as the 14th mayor of Kuala Lumpur.
The 59-year-old was the DBKL executive director (project management) and has been with DBKL for 32 years.
His appointment as mayor was announced on April 13 by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali.
