PUTRAJAYA, 6 Nov 2008: With immediate effect, all housing and city development project plans submitted for approval should include the permanent gazettement of 10% of land as ‘green lung’, said Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan.
Although there was no law for such enforcement, he reminded state governments to abide by the directive and not take advantage of the situation.
“The ministry is now taking drastic measures to ensure state governments followed the directive.
“In the past, housing and city development project plans submitted to the local authorities only required the developer to reserve 10% of the land as ‘green lung’ before it was gazetted,” he told reporters after opening World Habitat Day and World Town Planning here today.
As of last December, the minister noted that only 9,127 hectares of open space was gazetted while another 6,848 hectares was is in the process of being gazetted. — Bernama
