State Speaker rejects SAPP motion to debate lands in KK

LIKAS assemblyman Datuk Liew Teck Chan is disappointed his motion about the land where the High Court, former state library, Chong Thien Vun Park and Kota Kinabalu Health Clinic are located, was rejected by State Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri Panglima Salleh Tun Said.

“I had requested that the issue be debated in the State Assembly sitting and to request the state government to ensure that these lands, when vacated, will be retained as state land and for public purposes,” Liew said.

The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president said they also wanted the state government to prohibit the private sector to apply for the land for commercial purposes in future.

“My motion was rejected and I feel sad because it should have been debated as it is for the good of the public and not an individual. As an elected representative for the area, I am worried because in 2011, the Kota Kinabalu Local Planning Committee had put up a ‘Revival Town Planning’ for the public to view and object.

“So many objections were made but the new plan had marked the land and gazetted it into a commercial area. The announcement that the court house would be relocated to Bukit Punai increased our worry as we fear that this could turn into a land swap deal,” Liew (right) said.

According to him, when the Kota Kinabalu Library was relocated to Suria Sabah, it was because the existing building had been declared unsafe and it would make way for the extension of the court house.

“But now it is a different story. We also hope that the government will retain the Chong Thien Vun Park as there is no more open space in the city area,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, Luyang assemblywoman Melanie Chia (left) who was also present at the press conference, refuted Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai’s allegation that SAPP president Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee was misleading the people about the place.

“Our intention is only to make sure that the government gives its pledge that the area remains as government land for public purposes, so I do not know where the ‘misleading’ allegation arises from.

“Dr Yee is the one who is confusing the people,” the SAPP Women chief said.