DBKL to buy land and save forest reserve

PETALING JAYA (March 1): Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will preserve the biggest tropical forest within the city of KL by buying a piece of land in the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve.

The Star reports that Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad revealed that the 0.27ha land belonged to a private owner who applied to develop it.

“We said no. We rejected the application (for the development order) so that we can preserve the forest reserve,’’ Khalid said.

“But since we turned down (the landowner’s) right to develop the land, we will buy it from him.

“We are currently in negotiations with the landowner. It is going to cost us a substantial sum but it will be worth it,’’ Khalid was reported as saying.

Buying the land was part of DBKL’s wider plan to make Kuala Lumpur a low-carbon city by 2030.

Khalid also spoke about the cost of the purchase: “Within the RM100mil range. We have to be fair to the landowner and go by the market value of the land as it is located right smack at the foot of Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve."

He said that the space would be left as a green area.