SQUEEZED in by commercial development, it was only a matter of time that parts of Kg Sg Penchala’s Malay reserve land would be sold to realise their value, and high-rise projects would come to the peaceful village.

Sitting on the fringes of Taman Tun Dr Ismail in Kuala Lumpur and surrounded by high-end developments, such as Damansara Perdana, Mutiara Damansara and Desa Park City, with Mt Kiara over and across what remains of a small forest, Kg Sg Penchala currently has eight development projects that have received approval from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

Kg Sg Penchala Residents’ Association president Shohaimy Saad said people are concerned about how the new projects will impact the village, and are expecting congestion to be worse than ever.

He said the village’s current density is about 60 people per acre, or 0.4ha. The village covers an area of 291ha, and has 527 lots measuring about one to three acres each.

He said roads in the village are already narrow, and high-rise projects slated for the area, with one up to 38 storeys high, will only worsen traffic congestion.

“We are told that DBKL has approved a ratio of 960 people to one acre. If the high-rise projects continue, the number of vehicles will be higher, and the roads will be choked with traffic. We don’t want high-rise developments like that. An eight-storey building is enough.

“We are not against development, but it must be done in an orderly manner,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Of the eight project sites approved by DBKL, one of them is a 15-storey condominium, the Rencana Royale TTDI, that is scheduled for completion at the end of next year. Its 627 units are already up for sale.

Another high-rise project is the 38-storey Angkasa Residence TTDI that will have 735 units, also due for completion next year.

Improve infrastructure first

The association’s former chairman, Abul Hasan Mohd Rashid, said development in the Malay reserve village should not be allowed at the moment, as the village is already lacking sufficient infrastructure, such as good roads and drainage.

He blamed DBKL for ignoring the village all these years and not ensuring that it is on a par with the neighbouring TTDI.

“We have no community halls, recreational areas or parks, no food court or even sufficient water tanks.”

Another long-standing complaint that villagers have is the area’s poor drainage system, which causes flash floods after heavy rainfall.

“This village has a lot of concrete, and is where two rivers meet at the border of neighbouring TTDI. A small drain connects the two rivers. It cannot cope with the overflow when it rains heavily,” said Shohaimy.

Ongoing construction at a project site near the drain is worsening the situation by causing siltation, he said.

On Sunday, 10 houses in the area were flooded up to waist level.

Shohaimy said DBKL officers have come to assess the situation several times and told of the problem with the drain, but still, no action is taken.

Lost heritage

Abul Hasan expressed fear that the changing face of Kg Sg Penchala will see more foreigners and non-Malays taking up residence in the village.

He said the village now has 14,000 residents, of whom 10,000 are Malaysian citizens.

Shohaimy said residents fear that the new condominium and other commercial projects will see the loss of the village’s Malay characteristics, especially if the units are purchased by non-Malays, adding that it will change the village’s identity.

“Even if the projects are built on Malay reserve land and sold to Malays, when they are completed, the majority of those who will live or rent there might be non-Malays.”

Resident Amsyar Mohamad said villagers’ way of life is already changing, with youth exposed to “social ills” after a nearby restaurant was given a licence to sell alcohol.

He said DBKL should not allow the sale of alcohol in Kg Sg Penchala because there are already plenty of outlets selling it in TTDI and Damansara Perdana.

“This eatery that sells alcohol in on the edge of the village. This is a traditional Malay kampung, and residents don’t like it.”

Another resident, Mohd Najib Karim, said he does not want to see Kg Sg Penchala losing its heritage.

He said the first settlers of the village were from Indonesian islands, and included the Minang, Jawa and Banjar.

“The Malay culture and heritage of this village comes from its early settlers, and we will lose this just because of a few greedy developers.

Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh has urged DBKL to ensure that Kg Sg Penchala, which falls under her constituency, retains its traditional character amid Kuala Lumpur’s rapid development. – July 29, 2019.