Impact on Kampung Baru

Kampung Baru has always been something of a mystery to me. On the one hand, it occupied a prime land, strategically located smack in the middle of town. The value of the property there is in the billions. On the other hand, who really owns the plot of land?

The current occupiers definitely wanted a piece of the action. But over the years, there had been stories about the local landowners being duped into selling their plots on the cheap. Now, everybody thought they were wiser than the other, and as a result, the redevelopment plan of Kampung Baru seemed to have been stuck in limbo.

Hopefully, with the opening of Pintasan Saloma, it would kick-start a new phase of the redevelopment of this area. There were talks of a project called “Taman Warisan Melayu” as part of bringing Kampung Baru to the next century, but the real plan had been rather hush-hush. I have read conflicting report and opportunities for investment seemed to be only exclusive to certain parties.

Would it not be nice if there is a clear plan for this place. Certainly, it deserved one. Even with the recent opening of the bridge, I could sense some optimism among the locals there. New stalls and shops were opened near the project. Hopefully, the transformation would soon come ...