National Botany Park A Blessing For Two Klang Villages
21/03/2007 Bernama

SHAH ALAM, March 20 (Bernama) -- Kampung Budiman and Kampung Meru in Klang are set to benefit from the development of the National Botany Park under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).

"Development of the National Botany Park will change of the face of these two villages in Klang as they are situated near its entry zone," Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo told reporters after tabling a motion to develop the Park in the State Assembly here today.

The Botany Park costing RM144 million will be developed on a 817-hectare site within the Bukit Cerakah (Tambahan) Forest Reserve, near the Agriculture Park in Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam.

Dr Khir said the entrance to the Botany Park will be built near Kampung Budiman and Kampung Meru and that the entrance to the Agriculture Park will be closed once the Botany Park was opened.

The National Botany Park project was announced by Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin last year.

He added Kampung Budiman and Kampung Meru would be re-developed to ensure uniformity with the Botany Park complete with Malay traditional houses and good infrastructure.

The Botany Park will house numerous species of plants from all over the world and will come complete with watchtowers, suspension bridges, jungle tracks and security posts.

Dr Khir said the state government had also asked that the RM10 per hectare charged to the federal government for the land lease be reviewed after ten years.

The motion was passed after it was debated by Datuk Salamon Selamat (BN -Batu Tiga).

Meanwhile, Housing, Building Management and Squatters committee chairman Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Ahmad Dahalan told the Assembly seven of the 97 abandoned projects in the state had been completed and 11 more had been revived.

The projects completed included two in Shah Alam, one in Klang, one in Subang Jaya and two commercial ones in Shah Alam and one in Subang Jaya.

Replying to a question from Datuk Mohamed Idris Abu Bakar (BN - Hulu Bernam), he said of the 11 projects revived, three were in Shah Alam, one in Klang, three in Subang Jaya, one in Kajang, two in Kuala Langat and one in Kuala Selangor.

Mokhtar added 22 of the 97 abandoned projects categorised as "problematic" were being thoroughly studied before re-development by Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd (SPNB) or Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS).

-- BERNAMA