KUALA Lumpur residents are calling for greater transparency and public engagement before the Kuala Lumpur Structural Plan 2040 (KLSP) is gazetted.

They said the draft plan has been sent to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for endorsement.

They urged Anwar and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to engage with them before any decision is made.

The residents are also questioning the status of the concerns on KLSP, which they submitted to DBKL in 2020.

Save KL spokesman M. Ali said they learnt at a sustainable city conference on February 18 that the draft plan is currently with Anwar for endorsement.

“We urge the prime minister not to sign the document. We also want all Kuala Lumpur MPs to ensure that KLSP is not gazetted prematurely,” Ali told The Malaysian Insight.

“Due process and consultation with residents and businesses should be adhered to and the concerns and objections that have been submitted must be looked into.”

KLSP is a blueprint that outlines the goals, development strategies and policies for Kuala Lumpur’s development in the next 20 years.

Ali said they have handed a memorandum on their grouses to Kuala Lumpur mayor Mahadi Che Ngah on Friday.

He said among the issues they have highlighted was the lack of policies, as required by the Federal Territories Planning Act 1982.

“This is substantially different from KLSP 2020 where the policies were clearly stated,” he said.

“There is also a lack of clear strategies to address the shortfall of open space.”

Ali said there are also errors in the draft plan on existing land use.

“DBKL also claims there is insufficient undeveloped land to accommodate housing needs. But the 2019 data from the National Property Information Centre show that the planned supply of residential housing, together with the property overhang, would be sufficient, although not the appropriate type of housing,” he said.

“The proposed locations of social and low-cost housing are not near transport hubs and there is no masterplan for infrastructure and utilities.”

Ali said KLSP is not ready for gazettement as the authorities have yet to address the multitude of inputs and objections.

“This must be done with public engagement. Failure to do so will render KLSP an unlawful document at the point of gazettement,” he said.

Mahadi was reported to have said that he would be briefing Anwar on the matter before his endorsement is sought.

The mayor also said he would be open to meeting with Save KL within the next two weeks. – March 12, 2023.