KUALA Lumpur will not encroach the Taman Kiara Rimba recreational park despite a housing project there, Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Mansor told residents protesting against the development.

Hundreds of residents in the capital city’s leafy suburb of Taman Tun Dr Ismail have protested against a planned development at the park that includes housing for ex-estate workers, four high-rises and a highway.

“What is the fuss about, we won’t encroach the recreational park,” he was quoted as saying in Putrajaya today.

Taman Rimba Kiara is one of the largest green lungs in the capital city.

Tengku Adnan also said those who were objecting against the project were manipulated by certain quarters.

“The trouble is some have been incited by the opposition. We know there are some who are saying we are encroaching into Taman Rimba Kiara.

“We are not going to disturb the park because it is a recreational area from the people. Don’t they manipulate this issue,” he was quoted as saying.

Tengku Adnan also said 180 units would be given free to the residents that had worked in the estate in the area.

Last June, City Hall (DBKL) approved the development of a 29-storey block of affordable housing (350 units), and eight blocks of high-end apartments (42 to 54 storeys, 1,766 units) on 4.86ha of land in Taman Rimba Kiara, which was designated as public open space under the Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020.

On June 18 last year, the residents launched a protest against the project.

Yesterday, about 1,000 residents and activists at a town-hall meeting organised by “Save Taman Rimba Kiara” were told that the Taman Tun Dr Ismail residents’ association was pursuing legal action to stop the project.

Residents said the development had been mired in secrecy and conflict of interest from the get-go. – May 8, 2017.