Preserve Vivekananda Ashram, the soul of Brickfields

COMMENT | The fate of the iconic Vivekananda Ashram in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, hangs on a precarious balance.
Despite its designation as a national heritage site in 2016, following a concerted campaign by civil society and concerned citizens, the Ashram has now been rezoned as 'main commercial' under the latest Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040.
Property developers have long eyed the site. Have they been given fresh hope?
This rezoning poses a direct threat to one of the city's most important spiritual and cultural landmarks.

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The Star

12-06-2025

• The Star

Faster approvals

(From left) Ng, Maimunah and Teo fielding questions during the event in Kuala Lumpur. — CHAN TAK KONG/The Star. DBKL aims to give its go-ahead for project plans within 21 days DEVELOPERS in Kuala Lumpur will soon see speedier approvals for their projects and applications for development orders. Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is working to improve its One-Stop Centre (OSC) processes to expedite workflow. DBKL aims to approve project plans within 21 days and issue development orders in 42 days. Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif said DBKL had received feedback from stakeholders about the slow OSC process. 'We acknowledge the concerns around the development delays, which is why we are refining the OSC to be more efficient. 'This process will involve closer coordination with 28 external agencies and eight internal departments.' Maimunah said this during an engagement session organised by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. She said City Hall was also working to enhance platforms for digital applications and develop a system to gather feedback. 'Feedback from small and medium enterprises, as well as property developers and consultants, are instrumental to reflect the needs of industries,' she added. On the recently gazetted Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040, Maimunah said 139 locations in Kuala Lumpur were earmarked for urban renewal projects. ― By FARID WAHAB

New Straits Times

10-06-2025

• New Straits Times

Developers target several redevelopment sites in Kuala Lumpur

KUALA LUMPUR: Property developers have shown strong interest in redeveloping several of the 139 sites spanning 1,297.62 hectares across Kuala Lumpur, according to Mayor Datuk Seri Dr Maimunah Mohd Sharif. Speaking at the Resilient Cities, Sustainable Futures: Transforming Urban Landscapes through Sustainable Renewal forum here today, Maimunah revealed that of the 139 sites earmarked for redevelopment, 19 have received developer interest. She added that 13 proposals have been formally submitted to the One-Stop Centre (OSC), while two have received development orders. The remaining 105 sites have yet to attract any applications. The 139 sites identified by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and outlined in the Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040 (KL Local Plan 2040), sparked considerable interest from developers, especially with the impending Urban Redevelopment Act (URA). "For all 139 sites, I have yet to go through the details of land titles and related matters. This is where local authorities like DBKL come in, to guide and support developers. Investment cannot be a rough estimation," she said in her keynote address. Maimunah called for stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors to realise Kuala Lumpur's urban transformation goals. At the core of her vision is a transparent, inclusive, and sustainability-focused strategy that aims to revitalise ageing parts of the city while maintaining its soul and community values. "Urban renewal is not just about tearing down 100 units to build 200. It must come with new facilities, sustainable living conditions, and most importantly, a sense of place," she said. "As discussed earlier at the forum, I agree that developers should come in last. Property owners must take the lead. If a site is zoned R3, it should stay R3. If it's residential, it should remain residential. But the development should not be cast in stone. If there is a need for some changes, you would need to go through the proper process involving public participation. This is vital for restoring public trust." "We want developers to work hand in hand with DBKL, not just on these 139 sites, but across all our work. "Let's build a better Kuala Lumpur together," she said. Appointed as mayor eight months ago, Maimunah brings decades of international urban development experience, including her time as executive director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), where she oversaw urbanisation in over 1,600 cities across 193 countries. "Now, I'm the mayor of just one city, but the capital of Malaysia. With all your support, do you think we can't do better? In just eight months, I've met 38 ambassadors, and they all say they love Kuala Lumpur. So why can't we do better and shift from a liveable city to a loveable one? Can we flip the script that urbanisation is bad? I believe we can." She emphasised that while urbanisation and climate change are often viewed as global challenges, they also represent opportunities for innovation. "Whenever I hear the words 'resilience' and 'sustainability', I think about urbanisation and climate change. Both are megatrends, but they have also improved our quality of life," she said. "Still, the rapid pace of urbanisation and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns demand more innovation in how we build, design, and manage our cities." The 139 sites identified by DBKL are outlined in the Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040 (KL Local Plan 2040) and sparked considerable interest from developers, especially with the impending Urban Redevelopment Act. Maimunah said that the KL Local Plan 2040, gazetted on May 28 and set to be launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on June 24, is a key part of the city's transformation agenda. It reflects input from over 28,000 public submissions, with 4,000 incorporated into the final document. "The roadmap is clear and transparent, but now we need to translate it into real-world outcomes," said Maimunah. "This local plan is more than just a planning document. It's our collective social contract. We did it collectively to shape a city that balances growth with care, modernisation with inclusion, and progress with sustainability. It's not just DBKL's plan... it's our plan. And now, we must focus on implementation." She expressed strong interest in modelling DBKL's urban planning strategies on Singapore's Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), particularly in the rollout of the 2040 masterplan. To prepare for the upcoming Urban Renewal Act, Maimunah said DBKL will form a dedicated task taskforce to study the legislation and ensure the city is ready to support both landowners and developers through the renewal process. "DBKL is ready. We have planners, engineers, architects, and surveyors. But we're not just building structures. We're building communities. Cities aren't just buildings and roads. When you develop a piece of land, think of streets as arteries. Think of waste management. "Think of the families who will call that space home for generations," she said. She concluded with a rallying call: "Let's work hand in hand to make Kuala Lumpur not just a liveable city, but a loveable one."

Malaysiakini

08-06-2025

• Malaysiakini

Preserve Vivekananda Ashram, the soul of Brickfields

COMMENT | The fate of the iconic Vivekananda Ashram in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, hangs on a precarious balance. Despite its designation as a national heritage site in 2016, following a concerted campaign by civil society and concerned citizens, the Ashram has now been rezoned as 'main commercial' under the latest Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040. Property developers have long eyed the site. Have they been given fresh hope? This rezoning poses a direct threat to one of the city's most important spiritual and cultural landmarks.