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    03 August 2012| last updated at 01:11AM

    BUKIT KIARA: Fast stop-work order shows our govt cares



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    A BIG thank you to the Housing and Local Government Ministry from Friends of Bukit Kiara (FoBK).

    Finally, the destruction of Bukit Kiara will stop temporarily. There was a sigh of relief for the thousands of walkers, joggers, mountain bikers and nature lovers who frequent Bukit Kiara, on hearing the news that construction work on the 4.7km long fence will cease immediately. FoBK would like to thank Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Chor Chee Heung for his timely intervention and for issuing the stop-work order.

    Syabas (well done) also to the ministry for initiating a meeting with the public to get feedback on how to move forward. And listen they did, as they responded swiftly to FoBK's concerns. What a pleasant outcome it was for the public.

    FoBK was particularly impressed with the concluding remarks of the ministry's secretary-general, Datuk Arpah Abdul Razak, when she responded immediately to the first concern of FoBK that construction work should stop immediately.

    The norm is for a ministry or government agency to say that they will look into the issues and come back with a response after consultation with the relevant parties. In this case, after listening to the various stakeholders, she and her officials were convinced that there was a valid concern by park users and had no hesitation in advising the minister that immediate action had to be taken, to which the minister agreed. When the minister made the announcement, there was a tremendous round of applause and a sense of relief.

    This instantaneous response in acting immediately is certainly consistent with the kami mendengar (we listen) watchword of the government. What a breath of fresh air this is, in terms of addressing the public's concerns with lightning speed.

    Eighty per cent of the fencing work has been completed. FoBK assures the ministry that we will put our heads together to find an amicable and sustainable solution on what to do with the remaining portion and also the fencing that had been erected.

    FoBK, on behalf of the other stakeholders, namely Global Environmental Centre, Landskap Malaysia, Malaysian Nature Society, Taman Tun Residents Association, Trails Association of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor and the general public, would like to express its sincere appreciation to the ministry and the National Landscape Department (JLN) for saving Bukit Kiara.

    It is our fervent hope that the gazetting of Bukit Kiara as a green lung will be speeded up and given top priority. And on FoBK's part, we are ever willing to work with JLN or any other party to protect, restore and monitor this green lung.

    Finally, a big thank you to former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and wife, Tun Jeanne Abdullah, for strongly supporting FoBK's cause.

    Liew Khooi Cheng and Dr Pola Singh, Friends of Bukit Kiara

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