KUALA LUMPUR: The Datum Jelatek project in Taman Keramat, Selangor, will be built as planned despite protests against it, says the developer which has again dismissed claims by nearby residents that the predominantly Malay area will turn into a “Chinese district”.

DatumCorp International chief operating officer Shytul Shahryn Mohamad Shaari told The Malaysian Insider that the project will continue without further delay, even if more protests are planned.

“Disturbances like this are normal, but as what Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS) has said before, we will proceed with the work as it is beneficial to the people,” he said.

The RM1.2 billion project, which was started in 2008 on a 2.4ha plot of land next to the Jelatek light rail transit station, comprises four blocks of luxury condominiums, offices, a hotel and shopping centre.

The condos are to be built on the former site of four blocks of PKNS flats owned mostly by Malays, which were demolished in late 2010.

The project received planning approval in November 2011 from the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council, but had been postponed several times over a variety of issues.

The latest protest on Sunday was by far the most rowdy when some 100 people turned aggressive and broke into the construction site.

The angry residents began marching towards the site before proceeding to tear down the zinc barrier surrounding it, with several protesters trespassing into the site.

However, police managed to bring the situation under control and the crowd soon dispersed. 

“The issue of Malays being sidelined does not arise [as] the news was untrue, such as the sale of one or two blocks to foreign parties. That never happened,” said Shytul.

Shytul clarified that sales were done by DatumCorp, clarifying that not a single unit had been sold to anyone, nor had any money been collected.

“We only have a list of interested buyers,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

The developer had earlier said 1,097 bumiputera buyers had registered their interest to buy 674 units in the project.

Commenting on Sunday’s incident, he explained that the developer had already met with residents in the area and claimed the majority of them had reacted positively to the project.

“I can guarantee that Keramat residents were not directly involved in the latest demonstrations as we had already met with them in stages. — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on January 29, 2015.