Political connections know no bounds. Shady rushed land deals during past government and the Perikatan Nasional period reveal newly registered companies with young directors taking up the development of even public parks, once the green lung of KL city.
Two stories in Newswav on PMX Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's directive, freeze on the sale or lease of government reserve land plots, got more than 50,000 views and people calling to complain.
As the reporter, I also got calls from Malaysians working in the Middle East with properties in those affected areas where new buildings will be constructed in parks and retention pond localities.
Unfortunately, the caller said they had complained to the local media and news portals some time ago, and none wrote or highlighted their problem.
The residents living in the neighbourhood were upset that public park plots were alienated at really low prices.
According to Anwar's political secretary Azman Abidin, 52 plots of government land in Kuala Lumpur – some reserved as green lungs and open spaces – had been alienated and leased to developers and businessmen between 2020 and 2022.
One caller wrote to me this WhatsApp SMS: “DBKL is being suspected of having undertaken an improper move to sell off Taman Rekreasi Kolam Ayer Panas, a public park, which is one of the last remaining green belts in the city centre, to Daulat Abadi Sdn Bhd, a private company with no track record in real estate development. Shrouded in secrecy, the deal raises serious concerns about impropriety and corruption. The private company in question has young directors believed to be proxies of highly connected politicians from PN, which suggests the potential for unethical practices in the transaction. The fact that the area is zoned for recreational use in the city’s long-term town planning makes the sale of this park to a private company even more outrageous.”
This park is an essential part of the city's green infrastructure and serves as a much-needed respite for the people who live and work in the surrounding area. Its loss would be a severe blow to the community, and DBKL must reconsider their decision.
“It is essential to note that DBKL must protect public parks and green spaces and ensure that they remain accessible to the public for generations to come. The sale of this park to a private company goes against the public interest and is a disservice to the community,” the caller added in the WhatsApp SMS.
The park is now totally abandoned, with the park office being closed down and infrastructure in a state of neglect. Rubbish is everywhere without any maintenance, and improper land transfer would affect the modest row of food stalls around the area.
It is a sad reality that DBKL has chosen to ignore the community's needs. The sale of the park goes against the principles of democracy and accountability and will only serve the interests of a few at the expense of the many. The sale of this public park to a private company is unacceptable and undermines the community's well-being and sustainability. DBKL must halt this transaction and reconsider its impact on the community and the environment. It is time for DBKL to take its responsibility seriously and protect the public's interests,” a resident living near the park complained.
Recently some residents have put up some banners. In an earlier news report, Azman said the land deals also involved land surrounding flood retention ponds.
Whether the rushed sale of these land plots involved any corruption is yet to be determined and will be revealed if MACC investigates if there were any shady deals to bribe top leaders who alienated the government land.
Freelance Writer M. Krishnamoorthy (www.imkrishna.net) is a media coach, associate professor and undercover journalist. He has freelanced with Bernama, NST, The Star, and Malaysiakini. He also freelances as a fixer/coordinator for CNN, BBC, German and Australian Television networks and the New York Times. As an undercover journalist, he has highlighted society's concerns going undercover as a beggar, security guard, blind man, disabled salesman and Member of Parliament.
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