BUILDING affordable high-rise units within the existing Bukit Kiara longhouse footprint is possible, says Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh (pic).

She revealed that a "white knight" developer had offered to build a condominium within the 0.4ha of the longhouse footprint, in contrast to the present developer who claimed such an undertaking would not be profitable.

“The architect drew a condominium project where outsiders and longhouse residents will live together. 

“I have proposed this plan, among the other alternatives, to the Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad but it was never mentioned.

“If the present developer cannot build within the 0.4ha land, they should exit the agreement and allow a new tender to be opened for the project,” Yeoh said at the briefing session on Taman Rimba Kiara issue at Taman Tun Dr Ismail community centre on Saturday (May 18).

She said the scaled-down proposal touted by Khalid was not good enough.

The best thing to do would be to build the townhouses, which would cost RM25mil.

“Affordable houses have lifts, and they often break down. Service and maintenance collection will be a problem. 

"We feel a townhouse is the best for the senior citizens. It will also be good for the traffic, as it is low in density. 

“If the government has no money, we are willing to consider high-rise development within the 0.4ha land and anything outside the longhouse footprint is Taman Rimba Kiara.

“A temporary affordable housing with a public multi-storey car park facility could be built at the TTDI market outdoor carpark for the longhouse residents to stay until their permanent housing is completed.

“This will ensure that the longhouse residents will not be displaced. The MRT station is also within walking distance. 

It was reported that the revised plan includes a 17-storey block with 204 units of affordable housing (Rumawip) for the longhouse folk, and four blocks of 41- to 45-storey condominiums consisting of 1,082 units in total.

The initial development project first proposed in 2016 involved building eight blocks of 42 to 54-storey high-end serviced apartments (2,277 units) and a 29-storey block comprising 350 affordable housing units.

The new proposal will be brought to the Cabinet for a decision.