KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 31 -- Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh said safeguarding Kuala Lumpur's green spaces is a top priority amid ongoing urban development and increasing concerns over city livability.

She said that her office is reviewing current policies to ensure parks and open areas are preserved for the benefit of residents, including gazetting existing green areas for protection, The Star reported today.

"There is a lot of balancing of interests and factors in this matter and when you are talking about green space versus housing for the poor, something has to give," Yeoh told the newspaper in an interview published today, to mark Federal Territory Day tomorrow.

Yeoh said her team is working to reverse past environmental dama...