Kebenaran Merancang (Planning Permission)

When UEM Sunrise, IJM, UM Land, Sime Darby, PKNS or any developers in Malaysia intend to develop an area for a new township, even at their own land, they will start by applying for a planning approval. According to the Urban and Rural Planning Act (Act 172: Akta Perancangan Bandar dan Desa 1972), any individual or company is required to obtain planning approval or Kebenaran Merancang (KM) from the local authority prior to any new development. Therefore, before Sime Darby can turn Bukit Chermin and into Putra Height, they had to get through Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya (MPSJ). Before Prasarana Berhad can erect the viaduct for the extension of their Light Rail Transit (LRT) or dug the tunnels for the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), they had to get through all the authorities of all the involving area - Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL), Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ), Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya (MPAJ), Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam (MBSA) and so on. No construction can commence without Planning Approval from the respective authority.

Planning Permission allows the respective party, under supervision and authority of the local government, to conduct development works according to the plan and condition of which will decide including but not limited to proposed width and level of road and street, proposed height level, design, function, space, density and plot ratio of residential or commercial unit and other type of buildings, other proposal of land use, utilities provision for recreational space, community centre, school and other facilities required, and other condition for orderly development. The objective of planning approval is to ensure that all development and land use by any developers is conducted properly without initiating pollution, disturbance, traffic congestion, increase of infrastructural burden, decrease of value and amenities, floods or any other unwanted problem to the neighborhood and the community including social and economical issues.

The procedure and duration for application for KM is different from one municipality to another. Sometimes, even two municipal in one states can have different operation in processing application. However I believe the core of the application process would be in similar form in anyway. In Malaysia, bureaucracy always be the most annoying thing while dealing the government officers. All the government great plan  usually turn out hard to implement due to red tape from their staff. Currently I'm still learning the procedures for KM and will come back to you once I can understand the surface and underground stream flows.