KOTA KINABALU: DAP Sabah chairman Jimmy Wong Sze Phin yesterday claimed that the state government’s assurance to the public that Tanjung Aru beach will remain a public area contradicts the Kota Kinabalu Local Draft Plan 2020 announced by City Hall recently.
Jimmy opined that despite Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman’s assurance that under the Tanjung Aru Eco Development Plan (TAED), the beaches will remain for public use and the entire beach area will be upgraded under the beautify slogan ‘return Tanjung Aru beach to the people’, it is worryingly upsetting to see the entire beach rezoned for ‘hotel and resort’ purposes instead of ‘public and recreation’ use in KK Local Draft Plan.
He further said that if Musa is serious on keeping his promise, then he and his cabinet should show sincerity to zone Tanjung Aru under the public label which is in green colour, then upgrade the entire beach in term of facilities and public accessibility, to return Tanjung Aru beach to the people.
“Although the TAED planning unit is a government-owned company, the general public is still worried that it is just another privatization program which will eventually benefit the commercial sector but not the people,” Jimmy, who is also Kota Kinabalu member of parliament, stressed.
Jimmy is also curious to know why City Hall has decided to shorten the public consultation period on the KK Local Draft Plan to June 2 instead of the promised June 6.
“This has led me to wonder if there is any hidden agenda in changing the dates,” Jimmy said, and pointed out that City Hall should instead call for more public consultation by displaying the plans at other areas in the state capital so that more members of the public can get involved.
“As the planning may affect people’s future lifestyle, this is why they should be fully consulted. In some foreign countries, the authorities will call for a referendum to decide the future city planning,” he said.
Jimmy also suggested that the state government submit the TAED plan to the state assembly to involve the assemblymen in thorough discussion and review of the project.
He warned the government not to simply take away public spaces as well as public beaches for commercial consideration and profit. It is important to preserve more public space in KK for the interest of all the people, he pointed out.