Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the Taman Rimba Kiara has never been gazetted as a public park.

&quot;It is for use as open space with a size of 5.3ha. This (proposed) development would not touch the 5.32ha area at all,&quot; he said in a statement today.

Tengku Adnan (photo) said this in response to concerns that a proposed development project would affect the area, which is viewed as a <a href="https://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/403799">green lung</a>.

<img alt="" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/1132/1739079343692a25b079acd262e9cce1.jpeg" style="width: 100%;" />

Tengku Adnan said the ministry had listened to complaints before the development was approved.

&quot;We engaged with residents on July 20 and Aug 3 this year to explain that we are not touching Taman Rimba Kiara at all,&quot; he said.

Tengku Adnan also said the proposed development would help solve the problem of people staying in longhouses for the past 30 years.

&quot;I hope the public would support us in our endeavour to provide proper housing in Kuala Lumpur, especially to the poor and those needing affordable homes,&quot; he said.

- Bernama

FT minister maintains that proposed development would provide housing for the urban poor.