MRT Corp denies allegations over Ampang Park demolition issue

Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) has denied all allegations made by certain parties and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) over the Ampang Park Shopping Centre demolition issue.

MRT Corp Strategic Communication and Stakeholder Relations director, Datuk Najmuddin Abdullah said the statements made recently, accusing MRT Corp to be involved in corruption, were wrong and baseless.

He urged the parties making such allegations to come forward and provide evidence to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

"MRT Corp welcomes any investigation by the authorities and will give full cooperation. All auditing in MRT Corp are done by the Auditor-General and MRT Corp had also allowed an Integrity Unit to be established in the corporation by MACC.

"I believe there is no hanky-panky going on," Najmuddin told reporters, here, today.

He also denied allegations that MRT Corp had never engaged and discussed with the strata owners on plans to build an MRT station underneath Ampang Park.

He clarified that MRT Corp had held several meetings with the owners in 2015 to find a solution to the problem which would benefit both parties and even offered an alternative design where the location of the MRT station would be shifted slightly.

However, the option was rejected by the owners when they did not come back with any decision or alternative proposal by the agreed deadline, he said.

"Instead, they decided to go to court and file for judicial review. So, now we wait for the court to decide on the matter," he said, adding that MRT Corp would abide by any decision by the court.

The application for judicial review was filed on Jan 8, 2016 by 39 strata owners challenging the government''s decision to acquire the oldest shopping centre in the federal capital.

On June 30, 2016, the High Court made a decision in favour of the government by declaring the land acquisition process as valid.

The owners appealed against the decision to the Court of Appeal on Jan 18, 2017 but was rejected .

They then appealed to the Federal Court and the matter is now pending on whether the latest appeal has sufficient grounds to be heard.

Ampang Park is located on land required for the future integration of the MRT Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya Line (SSP Line) with the existing Ampang Park LRT (Light Rail Transit) service.

Najmuddin said without an MRT station at the location, there would not be any interchange between the MRT SSP Line and Kelana Jaya LRT Line and this would result in limiting the connectivity of the urban rail service .

The 52.2 km SSP Line is expected to be completed by 2022 and will serve as a corridor with a population of about two million.

Asked whether the issue between MRT Corp and several Ampang Park strata owners would delay the progress of the SSP Line project, Najmuddin said: "Currently, the work is going on as scheduled, so there is no delay and God willing, MRT Corp will deliver the project in time."

-- BERNAMA