KUALA LUMPUR: The public hearing today on the Kampung Bohol redevelopment project turned out to be a damp squib as far as resident are concerned.
They said they had hoped to obtain clarification on the project, "but no decision-makers attended the hearing".
They described the exercise as "pointless".
The residents reiterated their objection to the development of plots of land adjacent to a retention pond, which they said could worsen flooding in the area.
"All our questions were not answered, because it's clear that this is just a briefing," said a resident, Alvin Chan.
"The reasoning given (for the project) is that it is for improvements (of the retention pond). So they should make sure to give us a good explanation, but there are no experts here.
"When there's no expertise here, and they claim that this is for our good, it's like slapping me without saying why I've been slapped," he said after the hearing.
It was reported on Thursday that a developer has committed RM40 million to "upgrade" the Kampung Bohol retention pond along the Kesas Highway in its bid for a housing project.
The developer is also paying RM41.7 million for the six plots of land — 10.84ha — for the housing project adjacent to the pond.
At the public hearing, Kuala Lumpur Land and Mines Office deputy director Ahmad Fuad Mustaffa explained the re-gazettement of the area.
But the residents were clearly unhappy.
"Where is the Irrigation and Drainage Department (that is) responsible for the technical and design report of the irrigation project?
"It would have been better if the ones responsible met us face to face at this hearing today as not everyone has all the time in the world," one of the residents said during the question-and-answer session.
A retired civil engineer said the project could alter the course of a nearby river.
Peter Kuan Teck Sing, 63, said this could cause flooding and environmental degradation.
"Forcing the water to change direction can cause it to overflow into other areas, leading to backflow and increased flooding upstream.
"There's no clear design. They have gazetted the area without sufficient study or understanding of its capacity."
He also raised concerns about the lack of communication and transparency on the part of the developer and authorities.
"There's been no clarification on what will be done to the plots. They say they'll deepen the pond, but obstructing the river flow worsens the situation."