KUALA LUMPUR: Any development plan for Kuala Lumpur must include the Greater Klang Valley, to allow for better and more thorough planning of various aspects.
International Islamic University (IIUM) Kulliyyah of Architecture and Environmental Design Prof Datuk Dr Alias Abdullah said when a development plan includes the Greater Klang Valley area, it will allow for better planning of various aspects such as flood management and transportation, including the road and rail transit system.
"When we have a plan that includes the greater Klang Valley, we can better manage and decide what elements should be in Kuala Lumpur and what should not.
"If our plan is only for the city of Kuala Lumpur, then that is our first failure," he said.
Alias was speaking in a discussion titled '50 Tahun Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur: Apa Identiti (50 Years of Kuala Lumpur City: What's The Identity) organised by the National Council of Professors (MPN) today.
Other panellists were former Kuala Lumpur Mayor Tan Sri Ahmad Phesal Talib, Khazanah Research Institute research director Dr Suraya Ismail and Save Kuala Lumpur chairman Datuk Mumtaz Ali.
MPN fellow Dr Muhammad Asri Mohd Ali served as the moderator.
He said the development plan must also be flexible, according to the existing needs and situation.
"(A) plan, as it is, is always nice and perfect. But, we must remember the element of time.
"For example, let say we already have a 20-year plan, but there will be a lot of changes in the process and it can be the people and political will, among others.
"Therefore, the plan must be flexible according to the current needs and situation, which we are lacking right now."
Meanwhile, on affordable homes in the city of Kuala Lumpur, Suraya said the private sector must be given the responsibility to build the houses.
"Currently, rather than the government asking developers to have a variation of products; they (the government) are building the affordable homes for those who cannot buy from the private sector.
"By doing this, you are buffering the inefficient private sector. Once the government has interfered even with the M40 group, private developers are happy because they can build homes at price of RM600,000 onwards.
"(And) this is so wrong."