PETALING JAYA: How could a billion-ringgit medical hub be conceptualised without adhering to basic planning laws?
This was the question posed on the proposed RM1.25 billion University Malaya Health Metropolis project in Section 12 that was rejected by the local council.
The Petaling Jaya City Council's (MBPJ) One-Stop Committee (OSC) rejected the proposed development on Dec 7 as the residential area had not been rezoned.
"In our local plan, the area is zoned as residential or limited commercial," deputy mayor Puasa Mohd Taib told The Malay Mail.
He said medical centres could only be built in areas gazetted as institutional.
Puasa said Universiti Malaya vice-chancellor Tan Sri Dr Ghauth Jasmon was appealing against the council's decision and had submitted a letter to the Selangor Appeals Board on Jan 12.
"So, any further decision would have to be made by the board," he said.
He also said Universiti Malaya could appeal to change the zoning of the land but it would be a lengthy process.
"We will have to organise a public hearing and the application would have to be approved by the state government," Puasa said.
One-Stop Committee member Derek Fernandez said the plan contravened Section 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 as any development proposal must comply with the local plan.
"It would have been illegal to approve it," he said.
He said the council had issued a Form C2 to Universiti Malaya informing it of the rejection.
The proposed health metropolis project is part of the entry point project under the Economic Transformation Programme and will sport a medical ecosystem comprising patient services, research, and healthcare education.
Universiti Malaya aims to create a centre of excellence for medicine and bio-science in the region and globally to diversify its funding sources for research and international networking.
Ghauth said the university could no longer depend on the government for funding as it was spread thin over public universities across the country.
"The university has to pursue mega projects as a way to generate funds that would contribute to the university's aim of becoming a leading research university," he said
The City Council's Corporate and Public Communication Department director, Haniza Abdul Hamid, said a change in area zoning was under the purview of the Selangor Land and Minerals Office.
The proposed plan, submitted by MAA Architect Sdn Bhd on Sept 30, involved the demolition of 30 vacant bungalows in Jalan 12/5 once used as staff quarters, staff club and alumni house.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak officiated at a soft launch of the project on Jan 11 last year.
There are no comments yet