PUTRAJAYA: A notice will be sent to 46 community hall managers after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations to hand over the managing of the halls to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad said this notice might be the last.
He said several notices had been sent earlier, but the managers were not cooperative.
“If the managers involved still refuse to hand over the community halls, the ministry will acquire them back through legal action,” he said.
“We hope this matter can be resolved amicably, without the need for us to take stern action to get back the halls as this is done in the interest of the public,” he told a news conference, here, today.
Khalid said, to date, DBKL had taken over 157 community halls which were previously managed by political parties, resident associations, non-governmental organisations, government agencies and joint management committees.
These community halls are located in public housing areas, on DBKL land, DBKL reserve land, and other government land around the federal capital.
“We want to take over the community halls for a more neutral management devoid of political influence, and when rented out, the earnings will go to DBKL or the resident associations, and not to certain groups,” Khalid said.
He said the move was not politically motivated but to correct the situation under the previous administration, which had acted based on their political interest by handing over the managing of the community halls to inappropriate parties.
“We want to ensure that these community halls can be repaired and upgraded before being given back to the public and managed professionally without any element of favouritism,” he added.
Khalid said DBKL had also prepared a guideline on managing community halls for reference in handing over the community halls to the resident representative councils, non-governmental organisations, resident associations or interested registered bodies. - Bernama