Tuesday May 27, 2008 MYT 10:16:15 AM

Residents' associations unite against KL draft plan

By JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ

KUALA LUMPUR: Various residents' associations in Kuala Lumpur have formed a coalition to voice out their disagreement over the Draft City Plan 2020 (KLCP2020).

The Coalition To Save Kuala Lumpur, formed on Monday, will meet next week to form a working committee and to focus on various issues arising from KLCP2020.

The coalition will be headed by Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, also president of the Bukit Damansara House Owners’ Association Kuala Lumpur.

He said certain residents’ associations were called and consulted over KLCP2020 before it was tabled, but claimed this did not constitute a consultation exercise. “We did not receive any feedback or record of what was said then, and now the draft plan is thrown at us.

“The plan is flawed ... but we can only fight against it with the support of all residents' associations in Kuala Lumpur,” said Abdul Aziz, urging all such associations to get in touch with the coalition to collect signatures for a petition.

Environmental lawyer Derek Fernandez, legal advisor to the coalition, said it will take after the All-PJ Pro Action Committee that was fundamental in tackling issues raised over the PJ Local Plan draft. “A coalition like this will bring the people together to fight for a common objective, and that will be more effective as we can fight it at both macro and micro levels,” he said. The petition will request for more time for residents to review the plan and for Kuala Lumpur City Hall to provide more details.