KUALA LUMPUR: With an estimated population of over 30 million people by 2020, Malaysia needs 67,200 hectares of open space for public parks as an access to a healthy lifestyle.
As of 2013, 14,988 hectares of open space in Peninsular Malaysia had been developed into public parks which mean only 52,212 hectares is needed to be developed.
“In the 11th Malaysia Plan (RMK11), the Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government (UHLG) plans to enhance the development of parks across the country as a prerequisite for Malaysia to achieve the criteria of Developed Countries in 2020.
“UHLG will focus on assisting state and local authorities so that every city in this country has at least one 20-hectare municipal public park,” said its Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan today.
He also said that the ministry will look at mechanisms where private parties can be engaged as sponsors to the upgrading of public parks in the country.
“There are 2,078 public parks, especially community parks, across the country that needs to be upgraded and require donations,” he added.
Abdul Rahman spoke to reporters after officiating the National Landscape Day 2015 at the Bukit Kiara Federal Park.
He also announced that the National Landscape Department (JLN) will be turning the park into an arboretum where old rubber trees there will be replaced with trees of various species. RM150 million has been allocated for the five-year project. There will also be 250 new parking spaces to be ready this year.
“The Bukit Kiara Federal Park gets over 7,000 visitors over the weekends hence there are many things that the JLN needs to do like slope stabilisation to ensure visitor’s safety,” Abdul Rahman said.