Save Bukit Kiara : In The News

Update on Bukit Kiara

Excerpt from The Star June 21, 2012 on Bukit Kiara. This is by far one of the most balanced reporting by a Journalist that covered the news. Thank you Fazleena.

I had mentioned that "Runners get mugged at Bukit Tunku running route named Double Hill, but never in Bukit Kiara, in the interest of safety, can DBKL and JLN too, fence up Bukit Tunku?" 

The work on the fencing is destroying Bukit Kiara due to the need to make unnessasary access road to bring construction materials to the site and also heavy machineries taking down more greens that needed to built a tarred road.

Please find the full excerpt below. To support the cause to Save Bukit Kiara, please head over here and sign the online petition. To date, more than 5,000 physical signatures has been collected by Friends of Bukit Kiara (FoBK), Taman Tun Dr. Ismail Resident Association (TTDIRA), Malaysian Nature Soceity (MNS) and Trails Association of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor (TRAKS).

Thursday June 21, 2012

Park users fear fence may lead the way to development

By FAZLEENA AZIZ 
fazleena@thestar.com.my 
Photos by LOW LAY PHON 

THE fencing work at Bukit Kiara recreational park has set online community abuzz as the public speculate about the reasons for it.

Many individuals have expressed their fears and displeasure via blogs and various social networking sites, as well as a petition to save the park.

However, the National Landscape Department under the Housing and Local Government Ministry has given assurance that there would be no private development on the land and the park would be gazetted as a green lung as provided for in the Kuala Lumpur Draft Plan.

A notice board put up at the site states that it is part of an upgrading project to demarcate the park and increase security for park visitors.

Marred: Many who come to the Lembah Kiara Recreational Park are unhappy with the fencing.

Friends of Bukit Kiara (FoBK) chairman Liew Khooi Cheng said that in meetings with the landscape department, they were assured that there would be no private development and that the land would be gazetted, in addition to more land being acquired for the green lung.

Fencing work began on Oct 24, 2011 and is scheduled to be completed by Nov 18, 2012.

The fencing has irked many who frequent the park because the has damaged some of the greenery.

Others say it is a waste of money as the fencing looked expensive.

Bukit Kiara forest is famous among mountain bikers and their trail has been affected by the fencing.

Some park users are not unduly upset with the fencing as long as a high-rise development does not suddenly spring up adjacent to the park.

Retiree Tang Kim Seng, 66, is worried such a development would take place next to the park after the fencing works are completed.

He also said the objective of the project was unclear.

For all to see: A signboard at the park informing about the upgrading works.

“We are not sure what they are doing and the effects it will have on the people.

“Most of us are so comfortable walking in this park, which is a reflection of the good quality of life we have in the city.

“The park promotes a healthy lifestyle, so I hope they will preserve this situation. It would be good if they are transparent about the whole matter,” he said.

Retiree Normaziah Mohd, 59, said the high quality fencing was a bit too much for such a park.

“The fencing alone brings about questions as to what they are going to do because there are rumours of a condominium coming up on the other side.

“I did sign a petition early on when the works were being carried out. We are aware but the mountain bikers are the ones affected most.

“They have fenced up some areas along the trail and we do not know their intention as yet.

“The fencing is done in two parts with one leading up and the other down to the river.

“We have very few green lungs in the city, so we should do all we can to preserve them for the benefit of the people,” she said.

Liew said the mountain bikers were the first to notice the works.

“They noticed the deteriorating condition of the natural surroundings,” he said.

He said the landscape department had received many complaints about security and thus were advised to fence up the place.

“The park is divided into parcels of land covering 188.9ha and beyond it lies Bukit Kiara Equestrian and Country Resort, Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club and land belonging to other private developers.

“Many people are not happy to see such structures erected in the forest as well as the earth movement and disruption to the flora and fauna. Many suspect something is coming up on the other side.

Liew added that they had written to the ministry on the matter of destruction of trees and unnecessary earth movement.

“After the minister’s visit, they have agreed to minimise these and repair the damage caused by the works,” he said.