HANNAH Yeoh today said she met Khalid Abdul Samad several times to discuss the controversial Taman Rimba Kiara project, following the Federal Territories minister’s claim that his critics never bothered to do so.

At a town-hall meeting with Taman Tun Dr Ismail residents, the Segambut MP showed photographs of her meeting the minister along with other parties involved in the matter, including Bukit Kiara longhouse residents whose new affordable homes depend on the outcome of the dispute.

She said Khalid never budged from his stance to support a scaled-down version of the luxury condominium project and refused to entertain suggestions to cancel it, save for the new homes for longhouse residents.

Two days ago, the minister said activists opposed to the project should meet him in person instead of issuing statements to the media.

“Yes, Khalid Samad is my friend. Friends can disagree, (on) a cause worth fighting for,” said Yeoh.

“The fight to preserve Taman Rimba Kiara is also a fight worth fighting for.”

The deputy women, family and community development minister told the town-hall meeting this is her response to comments that it is not good for members of the administration to fight openly.

Khalid has left it to the cabinet to decide whether to accept the scaled-down version of the project, which will reduce encroachment on Taman Rimba Kiara, or the proposal by Yeoh and TTDI residents that the condominium be scrapped and only affordable homes be built within the longhouse’s footprint, without touching the park.

Yeoh and TTDI residents have also proposed that town houses be built on the site instead of a housing complex.

Khalid has said under the renegotiated deal, the developer will return half the land – about 1.6ha – and halve the number of condominium blocks from eight to four.

He called the renegotiated project a “win-win” situation, as 1.6ha of park area will be preserved and the project will proceed.

Longhouse residents will still get their promised homes as the developer will build affordable units for the displaced families for free, he said.

Lawyer and activist Ambiga Sreenevasan, who was present at the town-hall meeting, said she and Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism executive director Cynthia Gabriel will meet Khalid on Monday.

She said the fight is not personal, adding that any project with elements of corruption should not be encouraged.

She called for a moratorium on the project, pending the completion of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigations.

“This is not about friendship. It is not personal. Friends will hold you to a higher standard.

“We are holding you, Khalid, to a higher standard.”

She said they have stood together on the platform of transparency, integrity and good governance.

“We fought together for that.”

Ambiga questioned why there were attempts to salvage a project that was a vehicle for corruption.

“That vehicle must go because when you keep it alive then you are sending a wrong message. You are keeping a vehicle for corruption alive with no guarantees that it will not be used again.

“Why are you continuing this bad habit (of the old government)?”

She said the minister should not even “morally consider” proceeding with a project that is tainted with illegality.

Ambiga added this is a matter of transparency and the elected government has to ensure that institutions and agencies are not being abused. – May 18, 2019.