A SIGNIFICANT part of the Bukit Kiara park will now be protected from land grabs and development with its gazettement as a federal park, said Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh.

The decision to protect the popular hilltop forest park was made by the previous Pakatan Harapan government and published in the Federal Government Gazette by the Attorney-General’s Chambers on March 9 and July 29 this year, Yeoh said in a statement today.

“This is a great victory for voters in the Segambut constituency and the larger parts of Kuala Lumpur,” she said.

Yeoh said gazetting the park had been one of her election pledges when running for the Segambut seat in 2018.

“The gazettement is important to ensure that Segambut’s green jewel is preserved and protected. 

“Under the leadership of Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Khalid Samad, the Pakatan Harapan cabinet made the decision to gazette 274.3 acres (111ha) of Bukit Kiara Federal Park.” 

After official letters, discussions with various authorities and departments, and consultations with stakeholders including Taman Tun Dr Ismail residents, then Federal Territories minister Khalid Samad announced on December 2 last year the government’s decision to gate the portion of Bukit Kiara, which excluded existing leases in the area.

With the gazette finally published, the park is now secure from land grab attempts and indiscriminate development, Yeoh said.

The former deputy minister, who also gave a press conference on the same matter in Parliament today, was reported by media as saying that parts of the forest park were not gazetted as the land lease owners did not agree with the move, despite negotiations.

The gazette also does not affect an ongoing court case between TTDI residents and Kuala Lumpur City Hall over the development of Taman Rimba Kiara, which lies at the foothills of the federal park. – November 4, 2020.