KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad tonight jumped into the debate over Kampung Baru’s proposed redevelopment, saying it must also involve the non-Malays.
The former prime minister pointed out that the inclusion of non-Malays will make Kampung Baru more attractive to not only foreigners but also local visitors. The residents have thus far objected to plans to bring in non-Malays into the enclave next to the city's business district.
“When I was the prime minister, I have tried to develop Kampung Baru but the residents objected.
“We have developed Kampung Baru as a Malay area for the community to do business but I think they there should be other races to take part in its redevelopment because it will create a better attraction,” he said during RTM’s Forum on the Tenth Malaysia Plan at the Putra World Trade Centre here.
He argued that the involvement of non-Malays will generate more interest from the Malay community.
“If not then the Malays won’t come because some of them think that Malays can’t do business. So we want to use the non-Malays as bait to lure more visitors,” said Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister who stepped down in October 2003.
However Dr Mahathir did not state the ratio of the non-Malays to be involved in the development plans.
“We should give a reasonable percentage to them. Kampung Baru is now a slum and squatters in the middle of the city which is very ugly. Until when are we going to allow this? It is not logica,l so we must progress,” he said.
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders are currently involved in a tussle over the redevelopment of Kampung Baru.
Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has argued that Selangor had administrative obligations to Kampung Baru although the settlement is located in Kuala Lumpur which is under federal administration.
Federal Territories minister Raja Datuk Nong Chik Zainal Abidin has also insisted that, according to land laws, Kampung Baru is legally under the care of the Federal Territory, and Selangor no longer had any rights over it.
Raja Nong Chik, who has been tasked by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to spearhead redevelopment plans for the settlement, has faced one obstacle after another since taking helm of the project.
He was forced to back down quickly from his position that non-Malays were key to Kampung Baru’s new genesis after objections from residents, eventually conceding that the decision would be put up to a vote among owners and beneficiaries.
Raja Nong Chick proposed that there should be a 60:40 Malay to non-Malay ratio for property ownership in the area.
He then clarified that not a single square inch of Kampung Baru land would be sold to non-Malays, and that his original proposal to open up the area to non-Malays only involved the sale of strata titles.
Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali defended Dr Mahathir and said the former premier was pragmatic.
“He talks with reality; there are others, they talk with idealism. Tun speaks in terms of reality and we have to accept it. It is a strategy to bring success to the development of Kampung Baru,” he told reporters.
Ibrahim said that the Malay rights group has always believed the involvement of non-Malays is important in bringing capital for investment.
“We have our stand that component projects such as hospital and hotel as we cannot rely on taxpayers money. We need investors so I don’t think it’s wrong if certain projects where non-Malays own 60 per cent. If not, then the redevelopment of Kampung Baru won’t be a reality because of the construction and value of the property. So who will buy? So we have to take [this into] account.
“There are some areas where we must ensure that the ownership of Bumiputera is 100 per cent but there are also other areas where we must strategise,” said the Pasir Mas MP.
After the forum, Dr Mahathir reiterated that residents of Kampung Baru must want to progress for change.
“They can oppose but until when are they going to stay [in] shoddy houses?“ he asked.
The former prime minister pointed out that the inclusion of non-Malays will make Kampung Baru more attractive to not only foreigners but also local visitors. The residents have thus far objected to plans to bring in non-Malays into the enclave next to the city's business district.
“When I was the prime minister, I have tried to develop Kampung Baru but the residents objected.
“We have developed Kampung Baru as a Malay area for the community to do business but I think they there should be other races to take part in its redevelopment because it will create a better attraction,” he said during RTM’s Forum on the Tenth Malaysia Plan at the Putra World Trade Centre here.
He argued that the involvement of non-Malays will generate more interest from the Malay community.
“If not then the Malays won’t come because some of them think that Malays can’t do business. So we want to use the non-Malays as bait to lure more visitors,” said Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister who stepped down in October 2003.
However Dr Mahathir did not state the ratio of the non-Malays to be involved in the development plans.
“We should give a reasonable percentage to them. Kampung Baru is now a slum and squatters in the middle of the city which is very ugly. Until when are we going to allow this? It is not logica,l so we must progress,” he said.
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders are currently involved in a tussle over the redevelopment of Kampung Baru.
Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has argued that Selangor had administrative obligations to Kampung Baru although the settlement is located in Kuala Lumpur which is under federal administration.
Federal Territories minister Raja Datuk Nong Chik Zainal Abidin has also insisted that, according to land laws, Kampung Baru is legally under the care of the Federal Territory, and Selangor no longer had any rights over it.
Raja Nong Chik, who has been tasked by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to spearhead redevelopment plans for the settlement, has faced one obstacle after another since taking helm of the project.
He was forced to back down quickly from his position that non-Malays were key to Kampung Baru’s new genesis after objections from residents, eventually conceding that the decision would be put up to a vote among owners and beneficiaries.
Raja Nong Chick proposed that there should be a 60:40 Malay to non-Malay ratio for property ownership in the area.
He then clarified that not a single square inch of Kampung Baru land would be sold to non-Malays, and that his original proposal to open up the area to non-Malays only involved the sale of strata titles.
Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali defended Dr Mahathir and said the former premier was pragmatic.
“He talks with reality; there are others, they talk with idealism. Tun speaks in terms of reality and we have to accept it. It is a strategy to bring success to the development of Kampung Baru,” he told reporters.
Ibrahim said that the Malay rights group has always believed the involvement of non-Malays is important in bringing capital for investment.
“We have our stand that component projects such as hospital and hotel as we cannot rely on taxpayers money. We need investors so I don’t think it’s wrong if certain projects where non-Malays own 60 per cent. If not, then the redevelopment of Kampung Baru won’t be a reality because of the construction and value of the property. So who will buy? So we have to take [this into] account.
“There are some areas where we must ensure that the ownership of Bumiputera is 100 per cent but there are also other areas where we must strategise,” said the Pasir Mas MP.
After the forum, Dr Mahathir reiterated that residents of Kampung Baru must want to progress for change.
“They can oppose but until when are they going to stay [in] shoddy houses?“ he asked.
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