KUALA LUMPUR – While the Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2040 (KLCP 2040) emphasises resilience to natural disasters and climate change, urban watchdog group SaveKL warns that key flood mitigation measures could be at risk due to development activities.
SaveKL chairman Datuk M. Ali said several retention ponds that exist to reduce flood risks in the capital city have already been alienated for development, undermining public safety and trust.
In January 2022, former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim assured the public that no commercial development projects would be approved at key retention ponds in Kuala Lumpur, adding that the surrounding areas should be preserved as well.
However, that same month, the Federal Territories Land and Mines Department appeared to contradict the former minister's assurance and told press there are plans to develop areas surrounding retention ponds, but no activities would be carried out within the water catchment areas themselves.
Then, in November last year, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa reiterated that the government remains open to private sector interest in acquiring land around Kuala Lumpur’s flood retention ponds.
Despite such promises, SaveKL’s review of the KLCP 2040 suggests the plan does not reflect these assurances and urges the Prime Minister's to explicitly state the status of Kuala Lumpur's retention ponds and their vicinities.
One such retention pond that appears to be at risk, M. Ali says exists along Jalan Maarof, Bangsar - which is reportedly earmarked for development.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) said in 2022 that any development would only affect the surrounding areas, not the pond itself. But M. Ali believes even residential development could weaken the area’s flood defences.
“Bangsar is already overly congested. We should be preserving whatever green space is left,” M. Ali told Scoop.
Meanwhile, other water catchment areas which appear to be at risk due to development include the Sg Bunus and Damai Lake Fields Sungai Besi flood retention ponds.
"If nothing is done to protect these retention ponds, it can't be corrected when it is too late.
"There's no point waiting until our capital city is hit by floods again," M. Ali added.
Can other authorities override the KLCP 2040?
According to the KLCP 2040, a “Planning Control Layer” aimed at protecting rivers, lakes and ponds from encroachment exists by mandating a minimum 10m buffer zone from the highest water level of these water bodies, within which permanent construction is prohibited.
Nevertheless, despite such protections, M. Ali remains unconvinced, particularly because he views express conditions on the land classified by the Federal Territory Land Administrator could override the KLCP 2040.
“What’s the point in having the plan if other departments don’t need to follow it.
“The KLCP has a lot of slogans, particularly around environmental concerns. But whether authorities can actually deliver the plan is still unclear," M. Ali added.
M. Ali's concern appears to echo Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh's statement to the Dewan Rakyat in 2021, where she highlighted six retention ponds earmarked for flood prevention in Kuala Lumpur had been alienated for development.
Yeoh pointed out that although the land in question was redesignated for development, it was not in line with the KL City Plan 2020.
In fact, according to Hannah, DBKL approved 943 development projects from 2015 to 2020 that did not correspond with the KL City Plan 2020. - May 24, 2025
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