Press Statement re RTPJ ammendments

PRESS STATEMENT

MBPJ councilors are correct to put on hold and review the proposed amendments to RTPJ1 and RTPJ2

We the undersigned Members of Parliament and State Assemblypersons whose constituencies include areas within the city of Petaling Jaya support and endorse the decision of councilors of MBPJ  taken by majority vote at their special meeting yesterday to put on hold  the proposed amendments to the local plans RTPJ1 and RTPJ 2 pending a full review by MBPJ. The review will be done in consultation with the state government and taking into account the feedback given so far in the publicity conducted so far under section 13 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976.

Some of the proposed amendments have turned out to be very controversial to say the least.

We were surprised to see proposals to remove wholesale all the existing detailed guidelines for planning control from both RTPJ1 and 2.  This is wholly unacceptable. These detailed planning control conditions have been worked out over the years with detailed input from the public and are provide stability to town planning in Petaling Jaya.  If MBPJ is of the view that some of these planning control guidelines need improvement, then specific improvements can be presented for public input, not a wholesale removal as currently suggested.

The proposals to increase maximum plot ratios from 4 to 6 in seven “transit oriented development” areas around MRT and LRT stations needs rethinking given the impact on current traffic conditions, public amenities and quality of life in PJ. The current conditions in the proposals appear inadequate to ensure that such high-density developments will be fully integrated into the mass transit stations and not create further burdens and deterioration to the living environment in PJ.

The proposal to run the DASH highway through densely populated housing and commercial areas in Mutiara Damansara and Damansara Perdana  has evoked over a thousand written objections. The alignment of this proposed highway through those areas needs review.
We note that the entire RRI land in PJ consisting of about 1600 acres is now being proposed as “mixed development” with no detailed lay-outs whatsoever. This is simply not acceptable in the formulation of a local plan where the public expect to see the local planning authority’s detailed proposals on land use, plot ratios, densities, public amenities etc in order to give their views.  We are of the view that the entire RRI proposal should be removed and a special area plan prepared for the RRI land under section 16B of the Act as was done previously for the section 13 part of PJ.  The plan for RRI should be a separate process in itself considering the huge size of land to be developed with its corresponding impacts.

We note also that there is a proposal to convert the land use of the current Filem Negara site in section 12 ( which is Federal government land ) from public institutional use to commercial at a possible plot ratio of 6. Even if the Federal government decides to move Filem Negara to another site, that plot should be returned to the state government or the local authority for continued public use. Useful public amenities can be built on that land rather than develop it as another high density commercial site.

We therefore agree that the proposed amendments be revoked.  As proposed by the MBPJ councilors, a special committee should be set up to review all the proposals taking into account all the public feedback and present them again taking into account the public interest as the prime consideration.

Hee Loy Sian  Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya Selatan
Tony PuaMember of Parliament for Petaling Jaya Utara
Sivarasa RasiahMember of Parliament for Subang
Wong ChenMember of Parliament for  Kelana Jaya
Rajiv RishyakaranState Assemblyman for DUN Bukit Gasing
Haniza TalhaState Assemblywoman for DUN Taman Medan
Lau Weng SanState Assemblyman for  DUN Kampung Tunku
Yeo Bee YinState Assembly woman for DUN Damansara Utama
Elizabeth WongState Assemblywoman for  DUN Bukit Lanjan
Nik Nazmi Nik AhmadState Assemblyman for  DUN Seri Setia

1st October 2014

For any further clarifications, please contact Peter Chong  ( pa to Sivarasa Rasiah ) at 012 905 9948.