SHAH ALAM, 14 Nov: The Federal Government’s move to transfer Datuk Zainal Abidin Aala, Chairman of the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) is believed to be related to him exposing that it was the Umno-BN government that approved the Batu Caves condominium project.
Ronnie Liu, Local Government, Research and Development Committee Exco said that Zainal Abidin was the “circumstantial victim” when he was forced to expose facts regarding the controversial project.
“He was forced to also mention that the project was not approved recently, rather during the previous BN government.”
“When the press asked for the minutes of the meeting, he had to surrender them because Selangor has an Information Transparency Act, so he really should not be blamed,” Ronnie said when addressed after the Exco meeting here today.
Previously, Zainal had declared that the controversial Dolomite Park Avenue at Batu Caves project’s Planning Permission (KM) had been released during the BN administration on the 30th of November, 2007.
Zainal also disclosed that the project was approved by the Minerals and Geoscience Department Malaysia (JMG).
However, the Department of Environment Malaysia (JAS), in their initial report, did not support the project’s development for unstated reasons.
He also revealed that it was clearly established in an MPS meeting minutes that the Planning Permission for the 29 storey condominium was released in that meeting.
The development project by Dolomite Properties Sdn Bhd at Batu Caves is considered a sensitive issue seeing that the area is considered a sacred worshipping site for the Indian community.
Ronnie also mentioned that this Friday, Zainal’s transfer to a still unknown department will be enforced.
“Today is Zainal’s last day in MPS because tomorrow is a public holiday and later, I will be speaking to him. No matter the situation, I feel that this action is unfair,” he added.
