The preliminary study on the historical governing law of the frozen estates in Kampong Bharu, Malaysia

Abstract Kampong Bharu is situated in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and is categorised as a high commercial land located in the ‘Golden Triangle.’ However, this place is still left behind in terms of development as it is reported that there are more than RM60 billion in frozen estates. The existing legal framework is still considered inadequate as the planning development has been pending until today. Hence, this paper aims to analyse the legal history and the constraints preventing the development of Kampong Bharu. The discussion adopts the content analysis based on the qualitative research methods through the statutory provisions and other legal and non-legal literature. The research found that the Kampong Bharu Development Corporation Act 2011 was passed, and the Kampong Bharu Development Master Plan 2040 has been launched to carry out the development. Hence, it is proposed that the Kampong Bharu Development Corporation (KBDC) may have to wield the Land Acquisition Act 1960 so that the productive elements in Kampong Bharu can be activated. The impact of this research is in line with the benefit addressed by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Plan (2030) in terms of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.