The lack of response from the federal and local authorities in Kuala Lumpur has forced the Jalan Sultan community to seek the Selangor government’s help to save heritage buildings affected by the mass rail transit (MRT) project.

NONE Stanley Yong, co-chairperson of the Committee to Preserve Jalan Sultan, said a letter was sent to Selangor Mentri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim last Tuesday.

“We informed him that Jalan Sultan was (originally in) Selangor territory. And since the MRT (lines will run into the city centre) from areas in Selangor, the MRT Corp would have to negotiate (related issues with) the state government anyway,” he said.

“I hope the Selangor government will exercise its powers during the negotiations and request MRT Corp to reevaluate the alignment (of the lines).”

He also claimed that implementation of the project would be problematic in some areas in Selangor.

Yong said Khalid’s office has yet to respond, but that the committee will contact some state excos to arrange a meeting with Khalid this month if possible.

save jalan sultan protest 060512 9 Asked if this is a sign that the Jalan Sultan property owners have lost faith in the federal and KL local authorities, Yong diplomatically said “the situation is compelling us to look for every (source of) help”.

Expressing disappointment with the federal and KL local authorities, he said the committee had written to Kuala Lumpur City Hall, the Federal Territories and Urban Well-being Ministry and the Information, Communication and Culture Ministry, but to no avail.

The committee, formed by the Jalan Sultan landowners and the KL and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, has claimed that the proposed MRT alignment will destroy the historical and cultural heritage of Chinatown.

It had proposed that the line be realigned with Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, without entering Jalan Sultan, but MRT Corp has shot this down.

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