I believe granting a stay order will lead to greater damage, says High Court judge

By D KANYAKUMARI / Pic By ISMAIL CHE RUS

The High Court yesterday dismissed a stay order application by Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) residents to stop a proposed condominium project in Taman Rimba Kiara.

High Court judge Datuk Kamaludin Md Said said he had to dismiss the application to quash the approval for the development, as developer Memang Perkasa Sdn Bhd would incur losses.

“Having considered this matter in the light of what has happened, I understand that it would lead to a huge expenditure to the developer if a stay is granted.

“I believe granting a stay order would lead to greater damage. So, the stay application will be dismissed,” he stated.

TTDI residents had filed a judicial review application to stop the conditional planning permission and development order approved by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) for the Taman Rimba Kiara development.

Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan is the landowner of the development.

The judge also ruled that a nominal cost of RM10,000 would be awarded to each respondent. The four respondents in the case are DBKL, Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan, Memang Perkasa and the Longhouse Residents Association.

Save Taman Rimba Kiara Working Group committee coordinator Leon Koay (picture) said their only interest was to protect the public park, which has been there for over 20 to 30 years.

“We do not need more high-end condominiums built on a green lung. We have no objections to permanent housing for the longhouse residents. However, their permanent housing can be delivered in many ways and it can be delivered on the existing 4.4 acres (1.8ha) where they live now,” he said.

Meanwhile, Longhouse Residents Association representative V Sunderam said the court decision was a blessing for the people who had lived in the longhouse for so long.

“This is what we all always wanted and our prayers have been granted. They want to take away our homes from us, but with this, we now get the homes.

“We are very happy and this is a sign that we have overcome all the obstacles that stood in our way of getting a home,” he said when met outside the courtroom.

It was reported that the proposed development includes eight blocks of high-end apartments between 42 and 54 storeys, while another 29-storey block comprising 350 units of affordable units will be allocated to the TTDI longhouse residents.

Memang Perkasa had previously argued that it would be deprived the right to develop, after having incurred expenses of RM150 million related to the project.

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• A video of the long house residents has been circulating about their request for the home promised to them.