KUALA LUMPUR - Bukit Damansara has lost its identity, residents say, as Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) faces criticism for poor planning and unsustainable development in the area.
Speaking to Scoop, ASEAN India Business Council adviser and long-time resident Datuk Bhupat Rai Premji, said the area’s history and original purpose have been overlooked.
“This land was originally purchased by the Finance Ministry (MoF) to build homes for senior government servants before retirement.
“Many of us dedicated our lives to public service, and this small plot was meant to be a place for us to live with dignity,” he said when met at the Bukit Damansara Residents’ Engagement Session with DBKL at the Bukit Damansara community centre yesterday.
Also present were Bukit Damansara Residents Association chairman Datuk Ahmad Suffian Abdul Majid and Setia Kasih Bukit Damansara Residents Association president Zuhairah Ali.
Bhupat, who is also the former MITI industrial division assistant director, added that residents were not against development but called for sustainable growth with proper planning.
“We are not asking for zero development. Whoever owns the land naturally wants to develop, and that is fair. But it must be sustainable — with a reasonable plot ratio, reasonable height, and infrastructure that supports it,” Bhupat said.
He pointed to the Pavilion development as a prime example of poor planning.
“After Pavilion came here, traffic around Bukit Damansara and Jalan Semantan has become unbearable.
“Roads that were once sufficient are now bottlenecks. When it rains, a single-lane exit can gridlock for nearly an hour. Anyone can see that something went seriously wrong with the planning,” he said.
Bhupat also criticised DBKL’s reliance on comparisons with cities such as Hong Kong and Singapore.
“They have experts from all over the world, yet they compare us to Hong Kong and Singapore. Are we the same?.
“No. We have more land and the chance to plan better. We need to maintain a balance between greenery and development,” he said.
He questioned the accountability of authorities who approved developments without proper ground checks.
“Those who approved these plans must come down to the ground, see the situation for themselves, and take responsibility for the mess created. Development cannot just be about profits for big developers,” he said.
Bhupat warned that ordinary citizens were the ones paying the price.
“When authorities bend to commercial interests without considering residents, we become the victims. We pay taxes and assessments, yet the consequences fall on us. That is not fair,” he said.
“The community is not against progress, but there must be reason, fairness, and proper planning. A development without infrastructure is a disaster waiting to happen. Sustainable planning is not optional; it is essential,” Bhupat added.
The engagement session highlighted calls for DBKL to improve planning, adopt a balanced approach to development, and respect the area’s heritage to preserve Bukit Damansara’s character while accommodating growth. - November 14, 2025
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