haze
January 22nd, 2008, 09:05 AM
Proposal to preserve Bukit Persekutuan as urban park
KUALA LUMPUR: A proposal to turn the 70ha Bukit Persekutuan here into an urban park where the planned Natural History Museum of Malaysia can be located has been submitted to the Prime Minister.
The Malaysian Nature Society and Badan Warisan Malaysia handed over the concept proposal on Dec 31.
The proposal recommends that the hill, as an extension of the Lake Gardens, be conserved for ecological functions, environmental education and recreational use, said the society's executive director Dr Loh Chi Leong in a conference to highlight the proposal yesterday.
“We are concerned as the land faces continuous development pressure from its surrounding areas. The land is private and has been earmarked for development, especially along Jalan Travers,” he said
The hill is the only living forest in the city centre now, he added.
“It has many mature trees, animals and it is a stopover area for migratory birds,” he said.
The Government has been trying to identify a site for a Natural History Museum and the place is centralised, has good transport facilities and is near to other museums and tourist sites, he said.
The land belongs to the Federal Government and is not a protected area, said former society president Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor.
“We hope the Government will gazette the hill as an urban park by the end of the year,” he said.
Badan Warisan Malaysia president Tan Sri Ahmad Sarji said the hill has 119 old government bungalows that could be restored and become part of the museum to host exhibitions.
The conservation effort is consistent with the Government's green lung policy for cities, he added.
Bukit Persekutuan is regularly used by society members for activities and is a favourite haunt for joggers and strollers. Formerly known as Federal Hill, it was set up in 1896 as the residential enclave for Europeans working for the Federated Malay States administration, according to the proposal content.
The current Institut Kesihatan Umum Bangsar, established in the early 1900s, was among the earliest government buildings built and was known as the hospital that served the Europeans while Sri Perdana, now renamed Galeria Sri Perdana, was the official residence of the fourth Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
KUALA LUMPUR: A proposal to turn the 70ha Bukit Persekutuan here into an urban park where the planned Natural History Museum of Malaysia can be located has been submitted to the Prime Minister.
The Malaysian Nature Society and Badan Warisan Malaysia handed over the concept proposal on Dec 31.
The proposal recommends that the hill, as an extension of the Lake Gardens, be conserved for ecological functions, environmental education and recreational use, said the society's executive director Dr Loh Chi Leong in a conference to highlight the proposal yesterday.
“We are concerned as the land faces continuous development pressure from its surrounding areas. The land is private and has been earmarked for development, especially along Jalan Travers,” he said
The hill is the only living forest in the city centre now, he added.
“It has many mature trees, animals and it is a stopover area for migratory birds,” he said.
The Government has been trying to identify a site for a Natural History Museum and the place is centralised, has good transport facilities and is near to other museums and tourist sites, he said.
The land belongs to the Federal Government and is not a protected area, said former society president Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor.
“We hope the Government will gazette the hill as an urban park by the end of the year,” he said.
Badan Warisan Malaysia president Tan Sri Ahmad Sarji said the hill has 119 old government bungalows that could be restored and become part of the museum to host exhibitions.
The conservation effort is consistent with the Government's green lung policy for cities, he added.
Bukit Persekutuan is regularly used by society members for activities and is a favourite haunt for joggers and strollers. Formerly known as Federal Hill, it was set up in 1896 as the residential enclave for Europeans working for the Federated Malay States administration, according to the proposal content.
The current Institut Kesihatan Umum Bangsar, established in the early 1900s, was among the earliest government buildings built and was known as the hospital that served the Europeans while Sri Perdana, now renamed Galeria Sri Perdana, was the official residence of the fourth Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.