PETALING JAYA, Feb 22 — The Save KL residents coalition wants to work with the authorities in making Kuala Lumpur an environmentally sustainable and livable city.
The coalition chairperson Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman says to achieve such goals they are advocating Kuala Lumpur residents views to be given to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to consider when planning city development.
Among the key issues raised in their manifesto are democratise the city council, ensure effective community participation, protect green and public spaces and gazette and enforce the KL Local Plan.
Citizen participation will ensure transparency and accountability in city planning.
Referring to the 17 sustainable goals set by the United Nations Sustainable Development Action 2015, Abdul Aziz cited that they are keen to work together with DBKL to achieve its goals.
“The future of Kuala Lumpur should be determined by both DBKL as well as its residents, to ensure a vibrant, holistic city. We look forward to engaging with DBKL to work towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 11 — Sustainable Cities and Communities,” he says in a statement.
Aziz reminded the authorities that sustainable development was adopted in the country since the creation of the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1970, major commitments to sustainable development via commitment to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement and the New Urban Agenda.
“All the subsequent five-year Malaysia development plans have underscored the elements of sustainable development encompassing sustainable economic growth, growth with equitable distribution to all sections of society, access to basic infrastructure and utilities, access to education and healthcare services and mainstreamed environmental conservation
“The theme of the 11th Malaysia plan (2016-2020) is Anchoring Growth on People where people will be the centrepiece of all development efforts and to ensure that no section of society is left behind in participating and benefiting from the nation’s development,” he says.
The coalition was previously known as the Coalition to Save Kuala Lumpur which had spearheaded a unified citizen’s engagement with DBKL in 2008 on the Kuala Lumpur Draft City Plan 2020.
The coalition is advocating transparency in city planning and even urging DBKL to gazette the KL Draft City Plan 2020.
The coalition is voicing such issues after several resident association and concerned citizens cried foul over several development projects in the city such as the supposed development of Taman Rimba Kiara and the overdevelopment in Taman Desa.
