Zaliha helms task force safeguarding Malay interests in Kampung Baru, Kampung Sungai Baru

• Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the special task force would coordinate negotiations between developers, government agencies and local community representatives.

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 29): Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa (pictured) has been entrusted to lead a special task force to safeguard the interests of the Malay community in Kampung Baru and Kampung Sungai Baru.

Dr Zaliha said the special task force would coordinate negotiations between developers, government agencies and local community representatives.

She found that many members of Parliament, especially from the opposition, were still unable to differentiate between Kampung Baru and Kampung Sungai Baru, despite this having been explained several times.

"Although Kampung Sungai Baru is part of Kampung Baru, its status is different. Kampung Sungai Baru is not MAS (Malay Agricultural Settlement) land and has never been gazetted as a Malay reserve," she said when winding up the debate at policy-level on the Supply (Budget) Bill 2026 for the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday.

However, Dr Zaliha said the government is taking a new approach to increase Bumiputera ownership rate in Kampung Sungai Baru through four main interventions, firstly, the active involvement of government-linked companies (GLCs) such as UDA Holdings Berhad and Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Berhad (PUNB) in the redevelopment of strategic Malay areas.

Second, the designation of replacement houses only for Malays to ensure socio-cultural continuity in historic areas such as Kampung Baru and Kampung Sungai Baru. Third, the diversification of development components including condominium units, SOHO (small home office), shophouses and affordable Malay offices to increase the ownership capacity of urban Malays.

The fourth intervention is the monitoring of compliance with the Bumiputera or Malay quota in the area by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) under a quarterly reporting mechanism.

Meanwhile, commenting on the proposed appointment of council members in Kuala Lumpur, Dr Zaliha said the matter would be examined through the establishment of a task force to study the need for legal amendments, but local government elections were not the government's priority at the moment.

She said the Federal Territories Minister Council and the Kuala Lumpur Mayor's consultation meeting with Federal Territory MPs would be held every three months as an official platform to discuss policies and issues of city residents.

She said the government was also strengthening the Federal Territories Residents Representative Council (MPPWP) with an increase in allowances and an increase in zone grants to RM60,000 and RM25,000 for subzones to expand local programmes.

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