KEPONG MP Lim Lip Eng will lodge a report at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) against former federal territories minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor for allegedly waiving 23 development projects last year from undergoing a public hearing prior to their approval.

Lim said that Tengku Adnan had used his power as a minister to bulldoze over the hearings, which were stipulated under the Federal Territory Planning Act 1982.

“Tengku Adnan had in 2017 alone objected to 23 public hearings using his power as the federal territories minister for 23 development projects,” Lim said in a press conference today.

“He has to answer. I will file a fresh report to MACC to investigate this claim,” he said.

Under the act, the Kuala Lumpur mayor is required to reach out to registered owners of the adjacent land of a proposed project through advertisements to invite objections to the application for development involving the conversion of land use, zoning, or increasing residential density.

Lim said that all 23 projects involved the conversion of land, zoning, and increase in residential density, but did not go through public hearings.

“Under the act, a public hearing must be conducted because it involves zoning and increase in density. But the former minister objected to it,” said Lim.

“He used his power under Kaedah 14, Kaedah Rancangan Pembangunan 1970. Although I am aware of his power, how can you object to all 23 projects in 2017? All 23 cases were rejected with no objection.”

The projects, according to Lim, were approved by City Hall (DBKL).

He said that apart from Tengku Adnan, City Hall together with the developers of the projects must be held accountable.

Lim added that all of the classified information he received had came from an officer inside DBKL, adding that he would go to MACC to lodge the report on Monday.

The Malaysian Insight learnt that the director of the planning department in 2017 who had approved the letter was Sulaiman Mohamed.

The 23 projects waived from public hearing were in Bandar Tun Razak, Kepong, Bukit Bintang, Batu, Segambut, Lembah Pantai, Seputeh, Wangsa Maju, Setiawangsa and Titiwangsa. – November 17, 2018.