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Road reserve converted into a housing scheme violates the very
essences of trust on the authorities- call for a full and frank debate
in the up coming state assembly meeting Speech - during the meeting between DAP National, State and Branch leaders by M Kula Segaran (Ipoh, Saturday): Taman Silibin was developed into a housing estate sometime in 1974. The State authority and the then municipal council now the Ipoh City Council imposed conditions for development of Taman Silibin namely reserve land for 1) wet market 2) a school 3) a piece of land as road reserve measuring 4 ½ acres All these conditions were fulfilled and the developer successfully built nearly 500 plus houses. The school (Sekolah Kebangasan Silibin) was only built about 3 years ago and the students now number 300 but it is expected to increase to 1000 plus students in due course. Presently the road leading to the school is through the Taman Silibin housing scheme.
The residents of Taman Silibin are very concerned with the increased flow of traffic through their housing estate and they have now formed a committee headed by Mr.Lingam to address this problem When the school sessions are on, buses and motor vehicles start using the housing estate road as early as 6 plus in the morning. The flow of traffic and students are going to increase when the intake of students increases over the time.
For some unknown reasons the reserve road leading to the school which was surrendered to the authority by the developer was left ideal The authorities did built about 1/10 of the road leading to the school and the rest about 9/10 was left untouched. Why the road was never built and connected right to the school is a real mystery.
The action committee has complained to the Drainage and Irrigation Department (JPS) in that the new housing scheme is not located 60feet from the banks off Sungai Tambun( Tambun stream) On 24/5/04 an engineer Cik Fauziah came to the site but was not able to explain the discrepancy of actual distance as found on the ground as compared to what were on her paper.
From the checks and investigation made it is now confirmed that on 29October02 this 4-½ acres was approved by the State Exco vide bil.1414 Mesyurat 561/2002.on the application of the SDC (Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Perak). Surprisingly on 11October 2002 the SDC had entered into a “turnkey basis” to develop 42 semi detach houses in the above land with a third party.
How can a “turnkey basis” agreement with such details could be agreed with a third party when even the state authority –the approving authority had not approved this piece of land to SDC! Isn’t this something suspicious?
The whole agreements with the 3rd party need to be relooked into by the authorities. Was it done in a arms length business deal? Or was it, a “win win” to the developer/contractor only? The SDC need to explain as to why it could not execute this project to its logical completion? Why the SDC has been acting as a “Ali Baba” company when it should be creating and developing new and future housing developers in the state.
On 10thOctober 1998 A.H.M. Communication Sdn. Bhd had applied to MBI to use the above land for storage purposes. The local town planner one En.Azizuddin bin Alias vide letter dated 19/10/98 had rejected the above application on the ground that the said land is reserved for a road namely he said “tapak yang dipohon merupakan sebahagian daripada rizab jalan”Dari segi perancangan permohonan ini tidak dipertimbangkan dan ianya ditolak”
On11June04 together with the committee and A.Siva (Buntong candidate) we proceeded to seek explanations from the Mayor and the town planner. The Mayor was in a meeting. The local planner obliged us. He allowed us to meet and discuss with him for about 3 minutes. It seems he was on leave and was rushing for an appointment.
When we raised the word Silibin project he said “oh I know this project, this was approved by the state government”. We pointed out to him the road reserve was now been developed into a housing area he said this was the work of the state government. Azizuddin should not evade responsibility as he the local approving authority in the MBI. He further justified that the construction of the new housing scheme. He said in any case there was an alternative road parallel to the said road reserve. But he was misleading every one, as the parallel road was the one, which is from the Silibin roundabout to the Lumut/Ipoh main road. This road does not connect in any way to the school!
The former Mayor Dato Taalat and the state authority had promised that open spaces and reserves would be kept intact He gave this assurance when the Bali Bali nightspot was demolished in Ipoh garden about 4 years ago. Who can we trust now?
Why did the local councilors sitting in the MBI approve this housing scheme? All the local councilors including some who were recently elected as assemblyman must apologize to the people of Ipoh and must reverse the present situation. In view of the suspicious way the land reserve for a school road has been approved for a housing scheme the MBI must issue a “stop work order” until a full investigation is done and the report made public.
The State Opposition Leader YB Ngeh Ko Ham is visiting this area on Sunday 12 June04 at 3.30pm. He has promised to raise the matter with the Mentri Besar and also in the state Assembly.
(13/6/2004) * M.Kula Segaran, Acting DAP Secretary-General & MP for Ipoh Barat |