[UPDATED] Business as usual: authorities rescind eviction order against Kebun-Kebun Bangsar

KUALA LUMPUR – Authorities have rescinded the eviction order against the Kebun-Kebun Bangsar (KKB) community garden following a meeting with its stakeholders today.

KKB shared the news of the lifting of the eviction on its Facebook page this afternoon with a photograph of those who attended the meeting organised by City Hall (DBKL).

“Eviction order rescinded,” the caption of the image read.

“Kebun-Kebun Bangsar business as usual.

Among those seen in the photograph are KKB co-founder and landscape architect Ng Seksan, Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil, and Malaysian Muslim Consumers’ Association chief activist Datuk Nadzim Johan, among others.

In a statement, DBKL’s media unit of its Corporate Planning department said that the garden was an “exemplary project” that used TNB’s reserve land and should be lauded if it abided by rules and regulations.

“The garden has also received much support from the media and the public for carrying out agricultural education to visitors who could see a variety of plants and herbs.”

“The garden has also received various grants from Khazanah Nasional and ThinkCity under a good ‘placemaking’ initiative.”

DBKL also said that the Federal Territories Land and Mines Office had approved the TOL in a letter dated June 28.

It added that the meeting chaired by DBKL’s Executive Planning Director today saw the authorities informing the garden's operators and other stakeholders of the latest decision, as well as its inclusion in the local agenda.

DBKL also said the activities in the garden would continue to be monitored by the relevant authorities.

On Twitter, Fahmi said DBKL has informed the stakeholders that the Lands and Mines Department had given the garden’s operators a Temporary Occupancy Licence to carry out its activities on the plot of land belonging to Tenaga Nasional Bhd.

BREAKING:

DBKL memaklumkan bahawa PTG telah beri TOL untuk kwsn rentis TNB yg diguna Kebun-Kebun Bangsar. DBKL akan senaraikan semula Kebun-Kebun Bangsar di bawah Local Agenda 21. Kebun-Kebun Bangsar dibenarkan terus beroperasi. pic.twitter.com/rssTRwEtEO

— Fahmi Fadzil ??? (@fahmi_fadzil) July 14, 2022

“DBKL will re-list Kebun-Kebun Bangsar under the (government’s) Local Agenda,” Fahmi said.

“Kebun-Kebun Bangsar will be allowed to continue to operate.”

Two weeks ago, the Federal Territories Land and Mines Office issued its final eviction notice to the famed Kebun-Kebun Bangsar community garden, citing alleged violation of its TOL.

Its director Datuk Muhammad Yasir Yahya said although the government supported such community activities, the operators of Kebun-Kebun Bangsar had failed to comply with conditions set under the TOL.

Furthermore, Yasir had highlighted the grouses of residents in the vicinity, who lodged verbal and written complaints about nuisances caused by farm animals being reared at the garden-turned-farm and within a residential zone.

The director, responding to posts about the eviction on social media, said the agency was forced to take action against Kebun-Kebun Bangsar, as the TOL was meant for the operation of a nursery.

Yasir also noted that the operator of Kebun-Kebun Bangsar had been repeatedly told to remove the farm animals – including chickens, ducks, and cows – from the site, but had ignored the instructions. – The Vibes, July 14, 2022