PETALING JAYA: Local city councillors contacted by Selangor Times said they were in the dark over massive changes to the local draft plan for Section 12 which was tabled without their consent.
“We weren’t aware of the changes proposed and we want to know who is the one responsible for this,” said Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) city councillor Richard Yeoh, adding that he found out about the changes from residents who saw the notice in the New Straits Times on March 29.
The notice notified residents of proposed changes to Section 12 and conversion of land status from limited commercial and residential to commercial.
According to MBPJ’s website, there are plans by University Malaya to develop a RM12.5 billion University Malaya Health Metropolis.
The development, which will be built on a 12-acre plot between Jalan Universiti, Jalan 12/5 and Jalan 12/7, will comprise a medical university, commercial centres, hotel and a medical facility.
“The notice published was completely inadequate, with insufficient details. I don’t think any resident reading it will be able to understand it,” said Yeoh.
In addition, residents have only up to April 14 to object to the plans.
“I’ve received numerous calls from residents saying they were confused and didn’t understand what the notice meant,” said Simon Lee from the Bukit Gasing assemblyperson’s office.
Lee said residents started receiving notices about the changes in their mail boxes last week, 10 days before the closing date for objections.
“MBPJ also placed small banners along the main road. It’s so small that drivers going past wouldn’t be able to read it,” said Lee.
This predicament was then brought to the attention of MBPJ mayor Datuk Roslan Sakiman, who told councillors that an internal inquiry will be held immediately to find out who’s responsible.
Roslan refused to comment on the issue when approached by Selangor Times.
According to councillors, the proposed development had been raised before last December, but had been rejected by the One Stop Centre (OSC), as the area is still gazetted as residential.
The developers had also been advised by the state to organise a public hearing if they wished to change the land status for commercial development.
“The proposal to amend the local plan without pre-consultation is drastic. The council has no authority to do so without councillors’ consent,” said councillor Derek Fernandez.
Fernandez, who is also the head of the OSC committee, said any changes to the local draft plan must be discussed at the council’s full board meeting first.
“Even if it’s orders from the state planning committee, such changes must still be tabled before the council first.”
The council will move to cancel the proposed changes if any irregularities are found during the investigation.
He said the issue will be discussed at the council’s next OSC meeting on April 19.
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