This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on July 26, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: The Friends of Bukit Kiara (FoBK) has voiced concern over a proposed hotel development at Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam (KGPA).

In a statement yesterday, the association said the proposal includes an eight-storey resort hotel with 300 rooms, along with conference and seminar facilities.

FoBK said based on general observation as well as information displayed on the e-pbt (Portal OSC) website, the association has come to know that Kuala Lumpur City Hall has approved the development up to the building plan stage.

The website also shows two other projects that appear to be related to this main project — a multistorey car park with a linkway to the Phileo Damansara MRT Station, and relocation of staff quarters.

FoBK president Dr Kribanandan Gurusamy Naidu said the land currently occupied by KGPA’s golf course and clubhouse was part of a compulsory acquisition for public purpose, carried out by the federal government in 1975.

Among its objectives was to create an international-standard golf course open to the public and visitors from overseas.

Kribanandan said from the available information, the land continues to be owned by the federal lands commissioner.

This should mean that the scope of the land usage cannot be arbitrarily changed, or expanded, for commercial benefit, unless it has undergone appropriate legal processes, he said.

“FoBK urges the ministry of federal territories to review all details of its past approvals and agreements [relating] to KGPA, giving due consideration to all historical facts relating to the federal government’s acquisition of that land in 1975 for public purpose.

“Should the ministry still find it appropriate for KGPA to be developing a resort hotel, then in principle it should consider requiring that part of the profits be channelled towards benefiting public amenities in the Bukit Kiara area — for example, subsidising the cost of maintaining Taman Persekutuan Bukit Kiara (Bukit Kiara Federal Park),” he added.