Nor Fajariah (second from left) and other DBKL staff engaging with residents and stakeholders on draft KLSP2040.
THE plan to expand the boundaries of the Central Business District (CBD) in the draft Kuala Lumpur Structural Plan 2040 (KLSP2040) to include the Kwong Tong cemetery and several residential areas has been rescinded.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) Infrastructure Planning Department director Nor Fajariah Sulaiman gave assurance that the current CBD boundaries in the amended draft plan would remain status quo.
Nor Fajariah, who chaired the KLSP2040 draft amendment engagement session with Kuala Lumpur stakeholders at Menara DBKL yesterday, said the expansion of the CBD boundaries was one of the issues raised by those concerned.
Engagement session between DBKL and residents on draft KLSP2040.
“We understand that the expansion of CBD boundaries has included cemetery land and residential areas in Taman Seputeh.
“Therefore, in the draft plan amendment, we will maintain the CBD boundaries,” she said.
In July 2020, the Kwong Tong cemetery management and Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai protested against the proposal to expand the CBD for fear of development taking place at cemetery grounds.
Kok Wai, who was also present during the engagement session yesterday, said the cemeteries concerned were not only resting places for the departed but were also a huge green lung in the capital city.
“The cluster of cemeteries in Jalan Dewan Bahasa and Jalan Loke Yew, consist of seven cemeteries and crematoriums including the Kwong Tong, Hokkien and Kwang Si cemeteries.
“They bear cultural significance and there is a need to preserve the heritage status of these places.”
Kwong Tong cemetery is one of several areas that would have been affected by the planned expansion of the CBD boundaries in the draft KLSP2040. But the proposal has now been scrapped. — Filepic
He said the management of the cemeteries should collaborate in the beautification and upgrading of infrastructure and amenities at these cemeteries and make the area a multipurpose green lung and tourist spot.
He said he understood there were consultants looking for land for mixed development projects.
“I hope this will not happen and this is why the cemetery land should maintain their cultural and heritage status.
“I am also proposing that Chan She Shu Yuen, the historic 126-year old Tan clan association building opposite the Chinese Assembly Hall, be listed a cultural heritage site,” he said.
Nor Fajariah took note of Tan’s proposal for the cultural heritage listing and highlighted several amendments to the draft plan following public feedback.
One of the amendments concerns the upcoming MRT3 route, which will no longer pass through Taman Bukit Seputeh.
However, on gazetting Bukit Persekutuan as an urban forest, she said it was subject to the initiatives of the land owners.
The draft KLSP2040 amend ment also stipulated that the federal reserve land in Bukit Persekutuan should be developed as community facilities and infrastructure and for government use only.
There are also several initiatives to increase and preserve open and green spaces in Kuala Lumpur.
Kuala Lumpur Resident Associations + (KLRAs+) protem chairman Tan Booi Charn thanked DBKL for providing affected residents the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft plan.
“We hope that whatever we propose can be implemented in the draft plan,” said Booi Charn.
KLRAs+ representatives also highlighted several issues on preserving green lungs, the construction of high speed rail and city management during the session.
