Yeoh wants MACC probe into plan to develop KL retention ponds
The MACC should investigate the alienation of six flood retention ponds for development in Kuala Lumpur between October 2015 and September 2020, said Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh.
This came after Malaysia was hit by widespread floods in several states due to torrential downpours and was warned of a potential second wave of floods.
Yeoh said the plan to develop the retention ponds was...
The MACC should investigate the alienation of six flood retention ponds for development in Kuala Lumpur between October 2015 and September 2020, said Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh.
This came after Malaysia was hit by widespread floods in several states due to torrential downpours and was warned of a potential second wave of floods.
Yeoh said the plan to develop the retention ponds was among 943 developments approved by the city’s mayor from 2015 to 2020, which were inconsistent with the Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020 as revealed in the Auditor-General's Report 2019 Series 2 in September.
The six retention ponds in question were the Batu pond, Nanyang pond, Delima pond, Taman Wahyu pond, Batu 4 1/2 pond, and Taman Desa pond.
Under the initial plan, the Batu pond, Nanyang pond and Delima pond are part of the Sungai Jinjang Flood Retention Pond project, which could store up to 2.5 million cubic metres of floodwater.
The six retention ponds were instead alienated for development projects, such as mixed development projects, affordable housing schemes, recreation parks and service apartments.
"I will not allow the floods in Kolam Air and Kampung Kasipillay located in the constituency of Segambut to be treated with no sense of urgency by the authorities," said Yeoh.
She said this would affect the capacity of retention ponds and cripple operations under the Kuala Lumpur Flood Mitigation system.
"MACC must respond in 24 hours by opening an investigation and update the people of Kuala Lumpur accordingly," she told a press conference in Segambut.
She also urged Kuala Lumpur City Hall to impose a moratorium on the development and take stock development approval procedures in the city.
"The audit report also stated that the change in zoning of land use and density had an impact on the environment, causing reduction of open space, flash floods in Kuala Lumpur and traffic congestion," she said.
"One week after the persistent heavy rain on December 18, KL has experienced extensive, destructive floods covering 12 areas and more than 90 landslides," she said.
"The devastation caused by the floods last week must be a wake-up call for MACC and DBKL to spring into action.
"It was also clearly revealed that in the same period from 2015 to 2020, Kuala Lumpur experienced flash floods 48 times," she said.
"I had raised this in the recent Parliament sitting on the lack of response from MACC towards this report and its revelation," added Yeoh.
Malaysiakini has contacted MACC for comment.
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