Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (PH-Setiawangsa) called for a comprehensive overhaul of Kuala Lumpur’s governance, warning that Members of Parliament (MPs) and residents have minimal influence over Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) management of its nearly RM3 billion budget. Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday, 26 August 2025, the former minister highlighted that DBKL’s 2025 budget of RM2.8 billion is comparable to Selangor’s RM3 billion and exceeds Johor’s RM1.99 billion, yet lacks meaningful oversight from elected representatives or the public.
Nik Nazmi pointed out that DBKL’s advisory board is restricted to offering recommendations to the mayor, unlike state councils where elected councillors provide robust checks and balances. “The Federal Capital Act grants the mayor unchecked authority. A capable mayor ensures smooth governance, but an ineffective one leads to significant issues,” he stated during a debate on a parliamentary select committee report addressing the city’s affairs.
He noted that Kuala Lumpur MPs, once involved in land-related decisions, are now excluded from the process. “We only become aware of issues when protests emerge or development commences,” Nik Nazmi remarked. He pressed the government to fulfill its commitment to establish a council system for DBKL, as endorsed by the parliamentary select committee, and to reinstate local council elections.
Idris Ahmad (PN-Bagan Serai) raised 15 critical concerns, including financial losses from land sales below market value, the allocation of reserve lands—such as police lots and flood retention ponds—to developers, and the reliance on direct negotiations rather than open tenders. He criticized outdated 1995 land valuation methods, which result in undervalued sales, and highlighted the 4,925 new residential units in Jalan Kuchai Lama, which have intensified traffic congestion and flash flooding. Idris also noted that many flood ponds fail to meet Department of Irrigation and Drainage standards, public objections were disregarded in the Kampung Bohol case, and the OSC 3.0 Plus system for viewing planning permissions has been inaccessible to the public since 2023. Additionally, he alleged integrity breaches, including the misuse of MPs’ signatures to influence land decisions.
Teresa Kok (PH-Seputeh), deputy chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), reported that a PAC investigation revealed deficient oversight of land matters in Kuala Lumpur. She proposed establishing a new body of KL MPs to monitor land issues, restoring ministerial oversight of a land panel, amending legislation to introduce a council system for DBKL, and releasing land records to the public.
The Dewan Rakyat has allocated time on 26 and 27 August 2025 for parliamentary select committee chairmen to present their reports, aiming to enhance public awareness of their work. Each chairman is allotted seven minutes, followed by a brief debate with two government and two opposition MPs.
