ON February 6, 2016, Esa Ahmad, the director-general of the National Landscape Department, was quoted in The Star as saying: “..the exercise to gazette the 153.78ha land is under way and expected to be completed next year. The government’s firm stand to preserve Bukit Kiara as a green area remains.”

The year 2017 has come. The year 2017 has gone.

The public has yet to hear about any updates with regard to the gazette status – it would seem to observers that the department is a strict adherent of the principle “hear nothing, say nothing, do nothing”.

For the sake of openness and transparency, it would be wise for the department to provide a detailed statement that covers, at a minimum, the following aspects:

– What has been accomplished since February 2016?

– Current encumbrances that prevented the gazetting of the amalgamated land lot last year.

Be accountable and do not fall back to the usual government practice of issuing a blithe public statement devoid of details or facts. It is the least that the tax-paying public deserves after waiting 23 months.

The cabinet decision (three administrations ago) to gazette Bukit Kiara was made in June 2007. It is utterly atrocious that the federal government, the relevant ministry and the appointed department are unable to show any concrete progress after 10 years.

I guess this is the epitome of “Janji Ditepati, Rakyat Didahulukan”. – January 11, 2018.

* Wasted Taxes reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.