KUALA LUMPUR: Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) seeks to become a party in a legal bid to halt the demolition of the iconic Ampang Park Shopping Centre.
Counsel Jason Ng Kau, acting for 39 traders of the iconic mall, today said that MRT Corp - the developer of the MRT project linked to the demolition - has applied to be added as a respondent in his clients' judicial review at the High Court here.
Previously, the respondents were the Federal Government, the Federal Territories Ministry, the Federal Territories Land and Mines Office director, and the Federal Territories Land Administrator.
However on Jan 20 when the High Court gave leave for the legal action to proceed, the traders had also withdrawn the legal action against the Federal Government and the Federal Territories Ministry.
Speaking after case management of the matter in the chambers of High Court judge Datuk Hanipah Farikullah today, Ng said he had instructions from his clients to oppose MRT Corp's intervener application.
"The court had fixed this Thursday (March 3) to hear the objection," said Ng, adding that the court would also hear MRT Corp's intervener bid on that date.
"The interim stay (on the demolition) has been continued (extended) until disposal of the intervener application," said Ng, as several traders who came to court yesterday smiled and congratulated each other.
Previously on Jan 20, the High Court had issued a temporary restraining order against any demolition attempt of Ampang Park, which was initially to expire yesterday.
Federal Counsel Haryati Ahmad appeared for the respondents.
On Jan 8, the 39 Ampang Mall business owners, including dentist Dr Dzul Khaini Husain, filed the judicial review bid to overturn the
approval for the mall's demolition to make way for an underground walkway connecting the new MRT station and Ampang Park Light Rail Transit (LRT) station.
The applicants are seeking a court order to set aside the decision of the Federal Territories Land and Mines Office director and the Federal Territories Land Administrator, which allowed the acquisition of their property.
They said the decision to acquire the property for facilitating the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit Project was invalid, illegal and
violated the Federal Constitution.
They seek a court order to stop land acquisition proceedings linked to Ampang Park, which was constructed in 1971 and opened for business two years later.