Bosi reminds govt of obligation to people on open spaces
Published on: Saturday, April 18, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: DAP Sabah Secretary Dr Edwin Bosi reminded the government of its obligation to the people on open spaces. He said the court has ruled in favour of the plaintiffs in a case of open spaces at Sabindo Tawau being converted into commercial buildings. "The individual and his company have been instructed to demolish and return the open spaces to its original status at his cost," he said in a statement here, Friday.
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Dr. Bosi who is Kepayan Assemblyman also reminded the government that it is wrong for them to take away the sports and recreation land at Kepayan Ridge to build 500-unit of low-cost housing. "When the Housing and Town Development Council (LPPB) offered commercial houses for sale at Austral Park, the buyers were attracted to the sports and recreation land. They were also attracted because of the other open spaces available around their area," he said. Dr. Bosi said he has argued in the State Assembly that he is not against constructing low-cost housing or "Program Perumahan Rakyat" and to give housing to the lower income people but why take away land that is already earmarked for sports and recreation? "I think this is a very bad example and a bad move by the government," he added.
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Dr Bosi told the Assembly that Sabah has more than enough land to build the PPR and LPPB should have identified other appropriate lands and retained the sports and recreation land in Kapayan Ridge as it is. "My question is, is the government going to do the same thing in other areas?," he asked.
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He said if that is not enough (taking away the sports and recreation land) LPPB has now given away two parcels of land which are open spaces in Kepayan Ridge for the development of semi-detached and detached housing. "The open space in Kepayan Ridge is now less than 10 per cent and it appears that the government is going against its own by-law of land usage," he said. He added that building PPR away from the city is the most logical move as this will help to avoid making traffic congestion worse. "This move will also help to spur the economy of the areas away from the city. What the government should do is get the road network better, better road condition and better public transportation. "If the government is fair and has a balanced perspective, it should have spared a thought for the residents of Austral Park and also the poor. The answer is spare the sports and recreation land at Kapayan Ridge and build the PPR away from the city," he said. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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