Kampung Baru an example why bumiputera targets not met, senate told

KUALA LUMPUR (June 24): Despite approving the Kampung Baru Development Corporation Act, "not one piece of steel" has been seen in the redevelopment of the historical Malay enclave, which sits on prime real estate in Kuala Lumpur, a senator said today.

Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman also questioned why no financial autonomy had been given to the body set up to oversee the redevelopment of the area, where instead the allocation was given to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

"So whatever we need, we need to go to Bandaraya," he said, referring to DBKL.

"Why can't we implement it through the corporation, why do we have to go to a third party," Rahim said when debating the motion on the 11th Malaysia Plan.

He had cited the planned redevelopment of Kampung Baru was a classic example of poor implementation when speaking about bumiputera economic targets not being met despite affirmative action policies in place for 40 years.

"Poor implementation and oversight are among the reasons, and a classic example is Kampung Baru.

"We planned to develop the area from the time of Tun Dr Mahathir (Mohamad), to Tun (Abdullah Ahmad) Badawi and now to Datuk Seri Najib Razak, but we still have not seen one piece of steel for development in Kampung Baru," the senator told the Dewan Negara, referring to previous prime ministers.

Aside from poor implementation, other weaknesses, such as the "attitude" of the Malay community, had to be taken into account, Rahim said.

"Do we have a high competitive spirit as seen in the other races?

"This is something we have to think about, the attitude and competitiveness of the Malays to achieve success."

Under the redevelopment master plan for Kampung Baru unveiled earlier this year, the government outlined plans to generate 46,237 job opportunities by 2035, particularly for its residents.

The exercise was also expected to see an increase in the number of residents from the existing 18,372 to 77,000, and would involve the building of 17,500 residential homes and 2,100 units of mixed-income housing.

There was also supposed to be a MRT line running through the Malay settlement.

The redevelopment was planned with a gross development value of RM61 billion.