LAST piece of open space in Brickfields under threat

KUALA LUMPUR - The Chan Ah Tong field in Brickfields, located along Lorong Chan Ah Tong, is the only remaining open space in the area.

What used to be a field for the children of the now abandoned "100 Quarters" has been taken over by the Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB), who has also acquired the 100 Quarters land title.

MRCB intends to demolish the 100 Quarters and the field which spans 1.98ha and is currently valued at RM129million to make way for three 40 storey blocks containing 1,400 residences.

It was learnt by theSun recently that the field, which has now become an open car park containing some food stalls, has been gazetted in 1970 by the Selangor State Government.

Under the gazette No:WKNS 212/9.4.1970, it stated that "The land was to be reserved for the purpose of a site for public a open space to be under the control of the commissioner of the federal capital Kuala Lumpur".

In a statement to the media Parti Gerakan said it was shocked that although the gazette document existed, DBKL overlooked and allowed the land to be re-developed by MRCB. The party also called for authorities to stop any Development Order to MRCB as the 100 Quarters is Federal Government land and the Chan Ah Tong field is now gazetted.

They also called for the Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz to caveat the place in order to safeguard the building and its adjacent areas from being demolished.

"When you talk about heritage, the law states that a buffer zone within 200 metres of any heritage site should be protected, the areas around the heritage site should be protected," said Nazri when referring to the gazetting of the Vivekananda Ashram earlier today.

Nazri also said that if the surrounding area of the ashram is demolished, the aesthetic value would drop and it would look ugly, he also reaffirmed his stance on the Ashram, saying that he would do everything in his power to gazette the ashram.

"I can assure we are doing all that we can do to ensure the ashram will be gazetted as a heritage site," he said.

The Chan Ah Tong field is located 20m away from the Vivekananda Ashram which lies within the 200m buffer zone.

The statement from Gerakan also added that once the Vivekananda Ashram is declared a heritage site, the 100 Quarters and field should also classified as heritage and thus come under the purview of the Tourism Ministry. - Sundaily