KUALA LUMPUR: Johor Menteri Besar Osman Sapian said the government is looking at “small changes” to the Forest City development project.

However, he did not reveal details.

“The housing and local government minister will submit paperwork regarding this to the Cabinet and then we will decide. There are small changes but I have not looked into the details yet,” he said at the Parliament lobby.

Osman hoped the matter would be settled soon.

Forest City is a futuristic smart city project being built in Johor on four man-made islands spanning 1,385.6ha. Costing US$100 billion, it is expected to be completed within 20 years and will have a range of facilities, including housing units, offices and shopping malls.

The project became mired in controversy following claims that the bulk of the housing units are meant for Chinese nationals.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad, before becoming prime minister, had criticised the project saying it was like selling off Malaysian land to foreigners. He had claimed that foreigners who stayed at Forest City could live there forever and there were no regulations to prevent them from becoming citizens later.

Last month, he sarcastically said he would support the Johor menteri besar’s wish for houses in the Forest City Project to be sold to foreigners, if Osman wanted Malaysians to live in wooden houses.

Source: FMT