IT was billed as a “bicara rakyat” or dialogue between a minister and the people.

For residents of Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), there is only one issue – the fate of Taman Rimba Kiara and the proposed mammoth development that would obliterate much of the green lung.

Instead of a firm “no”, Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor last night made some vague promises “to look into the matter” and “we want to make you happy”.

He appeared unprepared for a residents’ association which gave slide presentations and even offered alternative development plans for the longhouse residents at the first-ever bicara rakyat held at the TTDI community centre.

The event drew nearly 300 people who raised various issues in the housing area, such as parking woes and the number of pubs.

Leon Koay, Save Taman Rimba Kiara working group committee coordinator, said the residents waited 1½ years to meet Tengku Adnan and wished it had happened earlier.

Koay said the minister seemed unprepared and lacked proper information to address the issues brought up by residents.

“It is good that he has finally made the effort (to come by) and we look forward to further engagement.

“It appeared as if he did not have all the information and he was not fully briefed on the situation… there were lapses or gaps in the kind of information he was given.

“We hope this session has given him the opportunity to pause and consider the other perspectives available,” said the 46-year-old consultant.

Koay, who is also a TTDI residents’ association representative, said the RA has proposed a sustainable solution to the problems faced by the longhouse residents near Taman Rimba Kiara.

Tengku Adnan earlier acknowledged the question and said it is a “legacy problem” that needs to be solved and invited Koay to his office for further discussion – a suggestion met with boos from the crowd.

“Our focus is permanent housing for the longhouse residents in a sustainable way that protects the green spaces we have,” Koay told The Malaysian Insight.

“It can be a win-win situation as we just have to work together.”

Diana Kubilos, 56, said she is happy that Tengku Adnan acknowledged some issues raised but expected something more tangible.

“It did get settled a little… but I think it needs to get settled more,” she said.

Kubilos said preserving Taman Rimba Kiara is about saving a vast natural habitat that could also prevent floods.

“The government keeps talking about development but it’s just one-sided.

“They can keep building but we need our water, our forest as these are our river catchment areas.

“They (the government) don’t realise that it is not even just a question of Taman Tun wanting green zones, but it is about survival. We need our flood mitigation,” she said.

Tengku Adnan repeated a few times he would not touch Taman Rimba Kiara, as it is reserved land.

“I would never touch it. There are perceptions saying I would take Taman Rimba Kiara and make developments but I would never do it,” Tengku Adnan told the crowd.

Azlan Yaacob, a resident, said the dialogue is a positive development as it allowed the residents to engage with the government and hopes for more dialogues in the near future.

The minister also gave the crowd his phone number – twice – urging them to bring up any matter.

Tengku Adnan said the bual-bicara will be held either once or twice a week as means of engaging with city folk.

“We will go to Bangsar, Damansara, Setiawangsa and a few others.

“We realise that these areas have representatives but they could be from the opposition and they do not care.

“They (the opposition) only go to Parliament and talk rubbish,” he said later.

The TTDI RA has filed a judicial review against Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the Kuala Lumpur mayor over a proposed high-end development in Taman Rimba Kiara.  

The parties to the judicial review application are the management bodies of the five apartment complexes closest to Taman Rimba Kiara, TTDI Residents Association and individual residents. – November 4, 2017.