THE Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020 (KLCP 2020) was gazetted to prevent areas from being rezoned, said Khalid Abdul Samad.

The Federal Territories minister said before the plan was gazetted, places originally assigned as open areas had been rezoned into mixed-development areas.

“When we gazetted KLCP 2020, it is to ensure this issue does not happen.

“Certain parties are unhappy because the move involves areas that have been rezoned. But, the rezoning of these areas (back to their original status) can be done afterwards,” he said at the launch of the World Book Capitol 2020 at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall headquarters today.

He was commenting on reports that there are quarters unhappy with the move to gazette KLCP 2020.

Khalid last month said he had made no promises to put the plan on public display before its gazette.

It was reported that the Save Kuala Lumpur (SKL) civil society group disagreed with the government’s move to gazette KLCP 2020.

Its deputy chairman, M. Ali, said Khalid has repeatedly stated that the plan was approved despite 273 violations found.

Khalid said even though the plan has been gazetted, dissatisfied quarters can request for areas to be rezoned.

“The rezoning can be done, but with a more stringent process in place. If we did not gazette the plan, the whole city would be open to rezoning.

“We can also correct what had happened in the past by rezoning areas.”

He said SKL’s complaints stemmed from the rezoning of areas prior to the gazette.

“Where possible, we will undo the rezoning of certain areas.

“As for KLCP 2040, there will be discussions held, and public feedback will be taken into account.”

The gazetting of KLCP 2020 also serves Kuala Lumpur MPs well, he said, as it is now easier for them to raise issues with the authorities if they find discrepancies in their areas.

“Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh was unhappy over certain issues and lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

“Now, they (MPs) have all the information on any changes made in the plan.”

Last week, Yeoh lodged a report over 29 violations in her constituency.

The draft KLCP 2020 was launched in 2008 and finalised in 2012. It was not gazetted by the previous Barisan Nasional administration. – November 12, 2018.