TTDIRA objects to DBKL decision to rename Taman Rimba Kiara
The Taman Tun Dr Ismail Residents Association (TTDIRA) has called out the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) over its attempt to change the name of the long-disputed Taman Rimba Kiara.
This came after DBKL made an announcement this morning that the park has been renamed as Taman Awam Bukit Kiara, a move that it claimed was taken to prevent public confusion...
The Taman Tun Dr Ismail Residents Association (TTDIRA) has called out the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) over its attempt to change the name of the long-disputed Taman Rimba Kiara.
This came after DBKL made an announcement this morning that the park has been renamed as Taman Awam Bukit Kiara, a move that it claimed was taken to prevent public confusion.
"Public announcement: The Taman Rimba Kiara which is under the management and maintenance of DBKL has been renamed as Taman Awam Bukit Kiara.
"This rebranding is to prevent any confusion among the public. The park is still in operation as usual, but is subject to the recovery movement control order guidelines," the local authority posted on its Facebook page.
In response to this, TTDIRA issued a statement questioning DBKL and stressed that they object to the renaming attempt.
The association claimed that this was an attempt by the City Hall to alter the status quo of the park, which had been the subject of a court battle between the TTDI residents and DBKL over a proposed condo project.
"The identity of ‘Taman Rimba Kiara’ itself as a public park is the subject of the lawsuit.
"To us, this name-change appears to be an attempt to alter the status quo of the ground situation, despite the fact that the court process is still ongoing," said the statement.
According to TTDIRA, the park was given its 'rimba' name, which translates as 'forest', as it was planted as an urban forest by the Forest Research Institute Malaysia.
They claimed that the park now has more than 1,800 mature trees and 214 tree species, including endangered forest tree species such as meranti rambai daun, balau singkawang air and meranti sarang punai.
"There are more than 50 bird species including hornbill recorded as being sighted in the park, plus otters in the Sg Penchala corner of the park.
"Clearly, Taman Rimba Kiara as it exists today is an urban forest, therefore, it is accurately known as a ‘taman rimba’."
The association also refuted the claim by DBKL that the name change was to avoid public confusion, citing that the park had been known as Taman Rimba Kiara for decades.
"TTDIRA wishes to state its vehement objection to this proposed name-change and calls on the mayor to reconsider the name-change.
"The park has been known as Taman Rimba Kiara for decades. Generations of families have used the park with no confusion about its identity or location," TTDIRA said.
Malaysiakini has reached Kuala Lumpur mayor Nor Hisham A Dahlan and Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa for their response on the objection.
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