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Media Statement
by Lau Weng San  
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(Petaling Jaya, Wednesday) : A group of six residents from Jalan 20/24, Tama n Paramount yesterday attended a public hearing held by the Department of Town Planning of Petaling Jaya City Hall (Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya, MBPJ) which was chaired by Dato’ Haji Mohd Mokhtar bin Haji Ahmad Dahlan, the Selangor State Government Exco for Housing, Building and Squatters Management, on the 23 proposed draft amendment on the Petaling Jaya Structure Plan 1 (Rancangan Tempatan Petaling Jaya 1, or RTPJ1).

The residents had voiced out their angers to MBPJ and its councilor, YB Datuk Dr Wong Sai Hou, who is also the MCA State Asemblyman for Kampung Tunku on two reasons below: 1. that the council ignore the will of the residents to grant approval to the developer to construct a two-storey service centre in Lot PT 6947 of Jalan 20/24 of Section 20, although the residents had officially voiced out their disagreement with the Council twice, one in late 2003 and another one in late 2005. 2. that the council is trying to put the horse before the cart when they allow the construction to kick off without amending the structure plan. The draft proposal to amend the structure plan so that that plot of land can be converted form housing purpose to build service centre is made much later.

On 1st September 2006, Petaling Jaya City Hall or Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) released its proposed draft changes on PJ Local Structure Plan (RTPJ1). City folks are given one-month time to view and raise their objections with the City Hall before 29th September 2006.

There are altogether 23 changes proposed by the City Hall in which I had briefly elaborated on the changes in my statement issued on 26th September 2006.

Of all these changes proposed I would like to focus on item Number 18 (the conversion of Lot PT 6947 of Jalan 20/24 of Section 20 from Housing purpose to Public Hall/Service Centre). Residents from Jalan 20/24, Paramount Garden, Petaling Jaya has complained that MPPJ has granted Planning Approval to a person named Quah Peng Chin @ Quah Paik Sze to build a service centre and office on a piece of vacant land along that road.

They were notified about this by MPPJ in a letter dated 6th February 2006 [Reference Number: (34) dlm.MPPJ/JPB331/T/P23/S21/1819/2003]. The residents had objected to the project twice in 2003 and 2005. Instead of building a public hall or service centre, which would be an eyesore, as illustrated in the proposed changes on the Local Structure Plan, they wish that the City Hall could retain the empty lot as greenery.

The residents had picketed once and had even tried to seek for a meeting with the then President of MPPJ, Datuk Termizi Puteh when works started about half a year ago. Due to heavy pressure mounted by the residents, construction was temporarily put on hold.

Even though construction is still on hold, the remained wreck is an eyesore to the residents there. They had tried to seek help from their State Assemblyman, YB Dr Wong Sai Hou to resolve this matter, especially when Wong Sai Hou is also a Councilor in MBPJ.

The City Hall now comes with proposal to convert the same piece of land into Service Centre/Public Hall purpose. It is mind-boggling to witness that the City Hall putting the cart before the horse, whereby conversion should logically be adopted and reflected in the Local Structure Plan before any construction for the new purpose kicks off.

The whole incident has been dragged on for months and Wong Sai Hou, although being an MBPJ Councilor at the same time and has openly said in the press that he does not agree on this project, he must openly clarify whether he has vested interest in this project, as under this project, a new service centre will be constructed. I had never seen any person who needs a service centre except elected representative. In order to clear our doubt, it is advisable for him to clarify now.

Simultaneously, if Dr Wong Sai Hou is sincere enough with his word and in order to demonstrate his sincerity, he does not have to wait for the State Town Planning department to take action or to make any decision which could be made months or years later as he himself can ask the Council to demolish the wreck right now, without having to involve any authority from the State Government ‘to correct the wrongs’.