Failed Desa Water Park to be site for new affordable homes project

THREE thousand Federal Territories Affordable Housing scheme (Rumawip) units will be built at the former Desa Water Park in Taman Danau Desa, Jalan Kelang Lama in Kuala Lumpur.

Tengku Adnan (standing, fifth from left) and Chai (standing, fourth from left) with several lucky applicants of Rumawip units. — Photos: RICKY LAI/The Star

The 16.99ha land, previously occupied by a theme park and restaurant, has been sold to developers Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd for RM500mil.

Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said a mixed development project comprising Rumawip units, commercial and residential projects would breathe new life into the area.

“The water park was not sustainable and the operators complained that they had lost money over the past few years to keep the place running.

“We have taken back the land and the operators have been compensated,” he said during the launch of three Rumawip projects at the former Desa Water Park.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), back then, had leased the land to Berjaya Corp.
“As part of the sale condition, we insisted that 3,000 Rumawip units be built here.
“But, we are negotiating for an additional 2,000 units to be constructed.
“There will, of course, be other commercial development but this has not been finalised by the developers,” he said.
The 850 sq ft Rumawip units will cost not more than RM230,000.

Tengku Adnan also launched three projects simultaneously Residensi Desamas in Taman Desa, , Residensi Wangsamas that will be built in Wangsa Maju and Residensi Jalilmas in Bukit Jalil.
The 900sq ft units at Desamas will cost RM300,000 while units at the other two locations will cost RM198,000 for an 800sq ft unit.

“Since 2013 until November this year, we have achieved a total of 50,455 Rumawip units or 63% of our overall target of 80,000 units by 2020,” he added.

He said 26 projects had been offered to citizens, from 2013 to 2016, since the Rumawip programme was implemented.

“Some units have already been sold and there are still some in the screening application or sales phase,” Tengku Adnan said.

Also present at the event were Setiawangsa MP Datuk Ahmad Fauzi Zahari, Federal Territories Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Adnan Md Ikhsan, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) executive director (planning) Datuk Mohd Najib Mohd and Aset Kayamas chairman Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong.

Source: The Star 28 November 2016

Last splash at water park – Desa Water Park in Jalan Kelang Lama will cease operations today

Desa Water Park in Jalan Kelang Lama will cease operations today to make way for a mixed development project worth up to RM7bil.

TODAY is Desa Water Park’s final day. The family theme park in Taman Danau Desa, Jalan Kelang Lama in Kuala Lumpur, will close its doors after 16 years of entertaining more than four million visitors from all over the country.

Curtain call: A mixed development consisting of high-end bungalows, multi-storey towers and condominiums as well as Federal Territories Affordable Housing (Rumawip), will be built on the land. The site is next to the Desa Lake.The family-favourite Thunderbolt, one of Asia’s longest uphill water coaster, will come to a permanent halt after today.

The wave pool – a children’s delight – and the surf shack, a tropical-themed structure featuring multi-level platforms integrated with pipes, vales, pulleys, buckets and waterslides – will fall silent.

Land sold to highest bidder

Now the question is what will it be replaced with?

According to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), who had owned the 16.99ha land that hosted the theme park and a restaurant, a mixed development consisting of highend bungalows, multi-storey towers and condominiums as well Federal Territories Affordable Housing (Rumawip) scheme will be built on the land. The site is next to the Desa Lake.

“DBKL has sold it (the land) to the highest bidder,” said Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz.

While the mayor did not share any other details pertaining to the project, StarMetro learnt that it was an outright sale and DBKL would not have any further ties to the land.

“It was sold on condition that the developer agreed to build affordable homes at the site,” said a DBKL source.

It is also learnt that Berjaya Corp, which operated the Desa Water Park and rented out one of the buildings to the management of the Dragon Hut Restaurant, were given notice to vacate the premises by Sept 30 byDBKL.

DBKL had leased the land to Berjaya Corp. When contacted, a staff from the Berjaya Corp corporate communication department said they were no longer associated with Desa Water Park and hence did not want to comment further.

London’s River Thames cruise?

StarMetro managed to contact the new owners of the land, Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd, who confirmed that they had recently acquired the land from DBKL.

“Yes, we acquired the land about two months ago. Our plans for the area is still at the design and planning stage,” said executive director Michael Chai.

“It is going to be a mixed development with a gross development value of RM6bil to RM7bil.

“We are certainly taking into account the need for affordable homes, as well as leveraging on the lake area,” he said.

“We appreciate the fact that Desa Water Park has been an iconic establishment in this area for many years.

“Which is why we are planning something to give back to the community,” he added.

When asked to elaborate on the plans, Chai said: “Well, we have been visiting London’s River Thames and we have something in mind along those lines.

“All I can say for now is that it is going to be special for the community as a whole.”

Of late, DBKL has been selling off its prime land in the city.

Two years ago, DBKL sold a huge chunk of its land in Jalan Air Jerneh in Setapak, for a mixed development project.

In 2014, Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai highlighted that DBKL had been disposing prime plots through joint venture deals that were not benefitting city folk.

He said the deals were not made through open tender and there were existing facilities on the land.

Tan cited the velodrome in Cheras, DBKL’s Health, Engineering and Mechanical departments in Jalan Cheras and another plot in Jalan Pinang as examples. He said other plots of land had been sold recently in similar fashion.

Source: The Star 30 September 2016

Hujan Ribut di Danau Murni Kondominium, Taman Desa

25 Januari 2012 – Satu kejadian hujan beserta ribut telah berlaku di kawsan Taman Desa dan beberapa tempat di Jalan Klang Lama. Beberapa kawasan di Pantai Dalam juga mengalami hujan ribut yang sama.

Kejadian yang berlaku jam 6.45 petang semalam telah mengakibatkan kerosakan pada bangunan Danau Murni dan juga flat Teratak Muhibbah. Hujan ribut berlaku dalam tempoh 15 ke 30 minit dan hujan terus berhenti selepas itu.

Kerosakan yang berlaku di kondo kita ialah pokok tumbang, pagar rosak, frame tingkap jatuh dari beberapa unit, alat penghawa dingin didapati bergoyang di beberapa unit dan bumbung tempat letak motosikal Blok A tercabut.