Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has come to the defence of the Residensi Suria Madani project in Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur, calling it beneficial to the city’s underprivileged.

Anwar, who attended the project’s groundbreaking ceremony yesterday, said some residents wrote to him to complain the highrise people’s housing project might cause dirtiness and congestion.

In response to this concern, he said existing luxury housing projects developed in the area were actually built on village land, and some of the land was purchased at a low price.

“So, who will clean, who will fix the electricity, who will provide other facilities if not the lower-class workers? Where should they live? In remote areas? That’s unreasonable.

“I do not heed such objections as long as the houses (of Madani people’s housing projects) have three bedrooms, 800 square feet, good management and maintenance, green parks, playgrounds, and cleanliness is guaranteed. That is sufficient.

“Otherwise, (if there is no public housing project), we would have a policy reminiscent of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, where there is a beautiful city with a group of the poorest and a group of the super-rich.”

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Residensi Suria Madani housing project yesterday

Therefore, Anwar said his Madani government must discard policies that undermine the importance of the poorer groups.

“I hope this serves as a lesson for all cities and towns,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

Anwar was speaking today during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park (Kigip) in Bagan Serai, Kerian, Perak.

Quick approval

The prime minister also revealed that the Residensi Suria Madani project was approved in record time.

“Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) approved it in 45 days… a record since before independence until now, as approval usually takes between eight months to a year and two months.

“But if the company, for example, provides a solid geotechnical study, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and everything else, there is no reason why approval can’t be given so quickly.

“I am grateful because, in a short time, we have shown more effective implementation. We launched this Madani people’s housing project costing RM200,000 and below (per unit) in Taman Desa, close to high-end residential areas,” he said.

Flood worry

Seputeh MP Teresa Kok previously called for a review of the Madani housing policy, including the above-mentioned Taman Desa project, saying they can impair the ecosystem and flow of traffic in the city.

In a statement on Aug 24, she said if DBKL keeps approving high-density development projects without widening drains and deepening rivers, Kuala Lumpur will see more flash floods in the future.

She cited recent flooding at a parking lot near the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre and a landslide at Jalan Genting Kelang, causing 52 residents to be ordered to evacuate.

PM breaks ground at Madani housing by Mah Sing, RM200k a unit

PM breaks ground at Madani housing by Mah Sing, RM200k a unit