Post date: Aug 08, 2010 12:54:12 PM
May 17, 02
Petaling Jaya residents want an investigating body comprising the federal and state governments to be set up to probe into the omission of public feedback by the PJ Municipal Council (MPPJ) in preparing the controversial PJ1 local plan draft.
They also want the powers of the MPPJ and the Town Planning Department to be reviewed, preferring instead for councillors to be chosen by residents of each section and approved by the state government.
“Representation from the department and the Housing and Local Government Ministry must be formed so that every development plan and approval will comply with the government policies and the people’s will,” they said in a memorandum submitted today to MPPJ president Emran Kadir.
After being stonewalled by the MPPJ, which also refused to entertain their requests for more information on the draft plan, a group of PJ residents has decided that a review of the powers and representation in the local government is in order.
These counter-proposals are part of a 30-page memorandum prepared by Section 5 residents Association objecting to the draft plan. It also questions the level of accountability and transparency, or the lack of it, within the municipal council.
About 5,000 objections by residents from Section 1, 3, 5 and 6 were also submitted together with the memorandum.
“We want to know whose views were incorporated in the draft plan and which quarter stands to gain the most from the proposed developments.
“The MPPJ has also refused to give us the traffic study when asked,” they said in the memorandum.
Enhance services, not redevelop
Residents felt that the MPPJ, instead of focusing on redeveloping the township, should improve and enhance its services like garbage collection, maintenance of basic amenities and beautification programmes.
“All efforts must be taken to preserve PJ as a centre for family, religious and educational development.
“Whatever commercial development or population increase can be done outside the PJ1 study area as set by the 1996 structure plan,” they said, referring to the 1996 Petaling and Part of Klang District Structure Plan which had outlined limited commercial development for PJ.
“The MPPJ should stick to its role as service provider and not act as developer for PJ,” they added.
On the preservation of PJ’s green lung and prevention of pollution, residents want more trees planted on road shoulders, the 10 percent open area requirement be made compulsory for every development project and to prohibit heavy vehicles from entering PJ.
Commercial space
The memorandum also suggested that the proposed elevated interchanges direct traffic flow into Old Klang Road.
“Existing roads cannot be widened for the sake of providing access to illegal development projects when they should only be for the benefit of PJ residents.
“Jalan 5/46 cannot be widened and linked to the Kuala Lumpur side to connect PJ with Pantai Dalam because residents are allowed to park their vehicles along that road now.”
Residents suggested that all existing commercial space be filled before new development is implemented due to the fact that there is more than enough office space in PJ to cater for future commercial expansion.
All the objections will be heard by a committee chaired by Mokhtar Dahlan, the state executive council member in charge of housing and local government and squatters.
The 60-day objection period for the PJ1 draft plan ends tomorrow.