Developer after PM's rebuke: We followed the book, 8 schools already nearby

New Straits Times

a day ago

KUALA LUMPUR: The developer of the government's affordable housing project in Bandar Sri Permaisuri, Cheras, says the development had obtained the necessary approvals and complied with all regulatory requirements — including access to public amenities such as schools.
Danau Lumayan Sdn Bhd said eight schools had been identified within the surrounding area, with at least one located within walking distance of the project site.
"Construction for the 3,438-unit development began earlier this year following approval that was granted well before the introduction of the current Madani policy framework," said its managing director Shahril Reza Shaheen.
"The project had commenced on the ground earlier this year."
This comes in response to remarks by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim earlier today during the project's groundbreaking ceremony, where he questioned the absence of provisions for school facilities within the development itself.
Anwar had suggested that if there were no schools nearby, the developer should take one of the housing blocks and convert it into a vertical school.
The housing project, Residensi Wilayah Aman Lumayan, Shahril added, had adhered to all existing planning guidelines and requirements at the time of approval, taking into account the proximity of schools and pre-schools.
"This is a project jointly developed with DBKL (Kuala Lumpur City Hall). All compliance matters — from education facilities to clinics — were reviewed and met based on what was required.
"If you're talking about the necessity of having more schools, more classrooms too, there's always a requirement for us to either expand or build a new school.
"In terms of all the guidelines that have been set by DBKL and other authorities, we have compiled and, like, the other things like a pre-school— we have already complied.
"And the requirement for a clinic (if there's a clinic nearby), there is actually a clinic just 50m across from the development.
"But whether or not we need another clinic inside the (housing) area, that is what we need to review.
"We can sit down and explore (with DBKL and authorities), but we have already gone through all the checklists, and we comply with whatever requirements for us to build this development.
"There's no issue of an oversight here, not at all," he said.
The developer has since met with DBKL officials to discuss the concerns raised by the prime minister and is currently conducting a feasibility study to explore whether a school can be incorporated either within or adjacent to the site.
The company is expected to present its proposals to the prime minister by Monday, outlining several potential options to make improvements and meet the community's future needs.
"We take the prime minister's concerns seriously and are studying the possibility of building a school as part of the development's next phase," Shahril added.