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The Star
7 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Jln Kelang Lama may lose iconic wet market
THE future of the wet market in Jalan Kelang Lama is uncertain after it has been left out of the list of public facilities in the newly gazetted Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040 (KLLP2040). Although traders and residents had asked for the 60-year-old wet market in Batu 4½ to be kept as a public amenity, the market's site on Lot 53683 has been zoned for commercial use instead, said Happy Garden and Continental Park Residents Association secretary Evelyne Low. She said this could lead to the site being redeveloped, especially since the proposed MRT3 route was expected to pass through the area. Under the KLLP2040, the site is listed as a Commercial Land Use Zone (Category C), with a plot ratio of 1:5, allowing buildings up to five times the size of the land to be built, including shops and offices. Low said there must be engagement with stakeholders before any redevelopment of the market took place. She pointed to a past case involving roadside hawkers from Jalan 1/128, off Jalan Riang 12 in Happy Garden, who were moved to a Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) building nearby. 'The building became a white elephant. 'It wasn't practical, the lots were too small and the layout didn't suit their needs. 'We are worried the same thing may happen here. 'We may end up with a market that doesn't serve anyone, just another waste of public funds,' she said. Long-time resident Daniel Charles acknowledged that the market was old and needed a facelift. 'But any plans must retain the market and include proper infrastructure such as multi-storey parking and road widening. 'The presence of traffic police during morning and peak hours will also help ease congestion in the area,' he said. A fishmonger, who wished to be known only as Chan, said he has been trading at the market for 25 years. 'We hope whatever plans DBKL has for this place will take our needs into account.' In a statement to StarMetro, DBKL confirmed the market land was zoned for commercial use. 'However, no demolition has been announced for now, and to ensure the market remains operational, it has been listed for upgrades under the Lestari Niaga @ KL 2025 programme,' it said. Lestari Niaga (sustainable business) is a government initiative aimed at upgrading and beautifying trading spaces for petty traders and hawkers in Kuala Lumpur. Under the upgrade, DBKL will refurbish toilets, repaint walls and columns, carry out thorough cleaning and implement scheduled maintenance and repair works. 'This project is expected to begin in the middle of this month and will not involve any demolition of the market's structure at this stage. 'As such, there is currently no need to prepare a new trading site for existing traders.' On future plans, DBKL said it will carry out a comprehensive study to determine the direction of the redevelopment, taking into account various aspects including the relocation site for traders during the transition period, commercial viability, future market needs over the next 10 years, project funding and implementation methods. 'Several inspections on the physical condition of the existing building were conducted and based on these assessments, redevelopment has been identified as the best option to ensure the market remains relevant and meets the current needs of city residents,' DBKL added. In 2017, then mayor Tan Sri Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz had confirmed plans to redevelop the site into a mixed-use development while retaining the market component, but nothing came of it.
The Star
07-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
KL folk fear green spaces going down the drain
ONCE crucial to Kuala Lumpur's sanitation system, decommissioned sewage treatment plant (STP) sites across the city are slowly being turned into prime real estate for profit. Previously operated by Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) to process sewage from surrounding areas, these sites lie vacant after being replaced by centralised systems. Now fenced off and lying idle, many are lucrative plots targeted for redevelopment. According to the newly gazetted Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040 (KLLP2040), there are 60 STP sites across the city. While city dwellers have hoped these unutilised plots would be preserved as green lungs in the urban sprawl, only 10, or 17% have been designated for public open spaces such as pocket parks and urban farms. Evelyne (left) and Joshua looking at the number of STPs rezoned for commercial projects in KLLP2040. In contrast, 32 sites (53%) are earmarked for commercial and residential development, including food courts, carparks and high-rises. During the public objection period for the draft KLLP2040 last year, concerns were raised that many STP sites in residential areas had been 'discreetly' rezoned for commercial use. In areas such as Taman Gembira (Happy Garden) and Taman Bukit Indah off Jalan Kelang Lama, residents discovered that almost 10 STPs in their neighbourhoods had been rezoned. 'We were shocked when we saw the draft plan. Some of these STP plots are pretty big and are perfect for public parks which residents desperately need, but they are also a developer's dream,' said Happy Garden and Continental Park Residents Association secretary Evelyne Low. She said several decommissioned sites were located in Happy Garden, Taman United, Taman Overseas United (OUG) and Taman Bukit Indah along roads such as Jalan Nyaman, Jalan Jiran and Jalan Lazat. Evelyne said the association submitted 20 objections to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) on the proposed rezonings, but only two were partially accepted in the final plan which was gazetted on May 28 and came into effect this year on June 11. Jalan Mega Mendung is often congested due to double-parking. The revised plan to build a two-storey hawker centre at the former STP here in Taman United has raised concerns about parking and waste disposal. Breathing space please Stakeholders are hoping for some of these former IWK sites to be preserved as green pockets, offering respite in a dense and fast-developing city where open spaces are dwindling. According to the KLLP2040, about 18 plots of land off Jalan Kelang Lama, mostly former sewage treatment facilities, have been converted from 'infrastructure and utility' use to 'commercial zoning'. Four others have been reclassified for low-density residential (R1), while the remaining 12 lots around Jalan Nyaman fall under 'established housing' (EH) category. 'At Jalan Nyaman 5 and 6, Lots 18188, 18189, and 18190 are combined for a low-density housing project following a Rule 7 notice issued last year,' said Evelyne. Rule 7 of the Federal Territory Planning Act 1982 covers the public participation process requiring landowners to be given notice for objection to any new development in their neighbourhood. Evelyne added that the established housing category limits developments to two or three storeys to preserve the character of stable residential areas. 'Anything above that, such as R2, R3, or R4 zoning follows a plot ratio system – allowing for higher-density projects like commercial developments.' A plot ratio is the ratio between a building's total floor area and size of land it occupies. A 1:4 ratio, for example, could permit buildings of 20 to 30 storeys, depending on design and layout. A sign marking this overgrown plot in Happy Garden, off Jalan Kelang Lama, as federal land which has been leased to a private company. Rezoning without liveability Kuala Lumpur Residents Action for Sustainable Development Association honorary secretary Joshua Low said the group had submitted formal feedback to DBKL last year. The association, he said, strongly objected to the rezoning of some lots into one commercial plot with a high 1:6 ratio. 'Originally, the STP plot was categorised as 'infrastructure and utility – water supply', but in the draft, it was redesignated to 'main commercial'. 'We argued that it should instead have been reclassified as public or private open space. 'Jalan Kelang Lama is under severe traffic strain; it simply cannot absorb more development,' said Joshua. He added that under KLLP2040, any new development should consider location, infrastructure capacity, site conditions, and compatibility with existing land use. 'When we brought this up with DBKL planners during the open day in May, we were told the site would be limited to low-density, three-storey bungalows. 'How can we accept vague verbal assurances?' asked Joshua. In May, DBKL held an open day to show the public the revised version of KLLP 2040. Evelyne and Joshua expressed disappointment that only two of the 20 objections they submitted, last year, were partially taken into account in the final plan. Why another food court? Alvin says the former STP plot at Jalan Mega Mendung is too small for a two-storey food court. One of the more questionable cases involves Lot 19542, a narrow plot sitting along the Jalan Mega Mendung commercial area in Taman United, Kuala Lumpur. Initially proposed for a four-storey commercial block, it has since been revised to accommodate a two-storey hawker centre. 'The site is only 0.07ha. It's too small, and yet, a two-storey food court is being squeezed into the site. It's unrealistic and shows no regard for proper planning,'' said Seputeh Residents Representative Council chairman Alvin T. Ariaratnam. 'Where are people supposed to park? Where will the waste go? 'A hawker centre needs space for ventilation, rubbish collection, and customer flow, not to mention loading and unloading. It's just not practical.'' He said the area was already congested and prone to double- parking. 'This area has numerous eateries and a DBKL-run food court is just three minutes away,' he said. Tan says remaining open plots from former STP sites are some of the last few green spaces left in KL's older neighbourhoods. Alvin added that roads like Jalan Mega Mendung, Jalan Sepakat, and Jalan Sepadu were struggling under the weight of traffic from unchecked development. Urban green lifeline Federal Territory MCA deputy chairman Tan Kok Eng said the remaining open plots from former STP sites were some of the last few green spaces left in Kuala Lumpur's older neighbourhoods. 'In a city that's growing taller and denser by the day, green lungs are not a luxury, they're a lifeline,' he said. 'Once these spaces are gone, they're gone for good. We don't need more concrete towers choking our streets. 'We need places where children can play, the elderly can stroll, and communities can reconnect. 'If DBKL is serious about making Kuala Lumpur liveable, then these sites must be preserved for the public, not handed over for profit.' Salak South Village MCA branch deputy chairman Banie Chin did not hide his frustration. 'We had no idea these old sewage plant sites were being taken over. 'There was one in Seri Petaling, and now its being used for a condominium project. 'Nobody asks the residents anything, but we're the ones stuck with the noise, traffic jams, and overcrowding. 'People like to talk about mental health and community wellbeing, but how are we supposed to have a liveable city when every bit of open space gets turned into concrete?' Chin said.
