Guidelines on gated communities soon

Writer: Basil Foo 
Published: Fri, 18 Jan 2013

SUBANG JAYA: Residents’ associations (RAs) in Selangor will be invited to give their input on gated and guarded (G&G) communities at a seminar being organised soon by the state.

The event, to be hosted by the Selangor Land and Mines Office (PTG), will be held next week and will seek to draw up guidelines for G&G communities.

“Once the guidelines are drawn up, they will be brought to the state executive council to be endorsed,” said state executive councillor Teresa Kok.

She said there have been many complaints against RAs which have chosen to employ makeshift G&G infrastructure around their neighbourhood.

Among the security measures taken by residents include installing guardhouses, boom gates and barriers made of metal barrels and barbed wire.

Some RAs have permanently blocked roads which prevent emergency services like police cars or fire engines from passing through.

Kok gave an example of the Taman Puchong Hartamas development where a guardhouse erected by the developer had to be torn down by the local council last year.

The structure was deemed illegal as it did not obtain a Temporary Occupancy Licence (TOL) from the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ).

“Since the guardhouse was demolished, the  area experienced an increase in crime, resulting in a wave of about eight break-ins,” she said.

Residents were also left fuming when Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) officers tore down a security barrier in their neighbourhood along Jalan SS20/17 last January.

Residents claimed the barriers brought down crime after they were installed. 

Previously, they were the victims of break-ins, snatch thefts and even assaulted with cleavers.

The G&G concept has been a contentious issue in the state, sometimes pitting neighbours against each other as they disagree on fencing up their community.

Some RAs or Rukun Tetangga (RT) see  barricades as a safety feature.

Those who disagree are usually concerned with the closure of roads which may inconvenience them and hinder emergency services.

The state government issued its own guidelines in 2010 which proposed that at least 80% of residents must support the G&G concept before implementation.

This differs from a Federal government guideline which suggests only a 51% support.

“I believe this has to be decided on a case-by-case basis. It should be allowed if there are no objections (from surrounding residents),” Kok added.

Know your councillor

The Selangor Time - June 15-17 2012

First time councillor Lee Suet Sen aims to address traffic snarls in his zone by coordinating monitoring efforts by the MBPJ.  

The councillor for Zone 9, which includes Damansara Kim, SS19 and SS17A, says residents are far from happy with construction works along Jalan Damansara.

He says the ongoing development along the boundary separating PJ and KL bogs down traffic heading onto the LDP.

"We are getting MBPJ Engineering Dept to do a study on how to alleviate the problem", says the 42-year old civil engineer.

The PJ mayor has also called for a meeting between the council and the developers, which he hopes will be held in a month's time.

Lee, who has his own business and attends to council matters in his free time, says the most challenging aspect of being a councillor is following up on plans.

"Small or big matter, we must have consistent follow-up. We need to have a culture of making things happen," he stresses.

He gives an example of how a collapsed riverbank in Damansara Bistari was not promptly addressed which he blames on unresponsive government depts.

The councillor says his own organisation, which has many ideas to improve traffic and landscaping, has to work harder to put thoughts into action.

Lee operates from his service centre at the basement level of Menara MBPJ but he also keeps in touch with the public mostly through phone and email.

"I also meet them at RA meetings. In fact, we are having a town hall meeting on June 21 at the SS20/26 basketball court at 8:30pm", he says.

Despite his hectic schedule, the father of four still finds time for sports and reading.

Residents fear for safety after barrier removed

The Selangor Times – 24 Feb 2012

By Basil Foo

Residents protesting the removal of the road barrier
along Jalan SS20/17 on Jan 12.

PETALING JAYA: Residents were left fuming when officers from the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MBPJ) tore down a security barrier in their neighbourhood on Jan 12.

“Certain areas can (set up barriers), and certain areas can’t. People are putting it up everywhere, why pick on us?” asked SS20 resident Datuk Dr Vincent Ng.

The barrier, made of steel drums welded together, and chained and locked, was placed across Jalan SS20/17 by the SS20 Rukun Tetangga in 2009.

The 61-year-old retiree said he had every cause for concern as a few days after the barrier was removed, a theft occurred when thieves climbed over the gate to steal shoes.

“If the government wants to fight crime, we are helping. Don’t go and sabotage our efforts,” he added. Ng said before the barrier was put up, his house was broken into by thieves who stole goods worth about RM20,000.

Under gated community regulations, boom gates must be manned at all times and barriers can only be placed across roads from midnight to 6am.

“Transforming a neighbourhood from open to gated, semigated, manned, or semi-manned depends on the residents’ decision,” he insisted. He explained that the central zone in SS20 which he lives in has seven entrances and employing guards to man all the openings takes a financial toll on hem.

Ng said before the barrier was demolished last month, the system most of the residents agreed on was the blocking of two access roads into the neighbourhood.

The other entrances only had boom gates, left open at all times, which according to resident HuiSeng Kit, could deter casual thieves. “The barriers and boom gates are there to make it inconvenient for thieves. Even so, hardcore thieves could still come in,” he said. The 53-year-old consultant said in the two years before the barriers were put up, he was the victim of  two robberies.

Long-time resident Andrew Chong, who has stayed in SS20 for 35 years, recalled how his neighbour’s sister was slashed on the neck by two youths on a motorcycle. “They used a retractable blade knife in broad daylight. They wanted her handbag. We had to call the ambulance and the hospital fees came up to RM7,000,” he said.

The residents urged the authorities to allow the neighbourhood to block certain roads for the security of their area.

When contacted, MBPJ councilor Mak Khuin Weng said the council had been put in a no-win situation. “The legal way to resolve this is to tear down all barricades, but that will only incur the wrath of residents,” he acknowledged.

MBPJ tears down illegal barriers

 

Residents protesting the removal of the barriers.

 

By Basil Foo, Selangor Times, Jan 13-15, 2012 / Issue 57

PETALING JAYA: An illegal security barrier on Jalan SS20/17 was torn down by Petaling Jaya

City Council (MBPJ) enforcement officers despite protests from residents yesterday.

“The barrier is an inconvenience. Not everyone wants it. We are acting on complaints by some

residents,” said MBPJ public relations officer Zainun Zakaria. She said the road leading to the Damansara Specialist Hospital hindered ambulances from passing through, especially during emergencies. Zainun, who was at the site, said a notice dated Dec 29 was handdelivered to the residents here to remove the permanent barrier.

“If the residents are concerned for their safety, they should follow proper procedures,” she said.

Regulations only allow boom gates which must be manned at all times and can only be closed from 12am to 6am.

Enforcement officers removed eight steel drums which were filled with water, welded to each other with metal rods, and chained to light poles.

“This is not fair. The majority of us want this barrier. Crime has gone down a lot since this was put up,” said resident Wong Yin Choo, who was present at the site.

A resident who only wanted to be known as Koh said the barrier was put up in 2009 as the neighbourhood was then terrorised by “vicious snatch thieves”. He said the neighbourhood had previously experienced up to three snatch thefts a week, with some victims being slashed before losing their valuables.

“The authorities are making the matter worse. The crime rate is bound to go up after these barriers are removed,” said resident Hoe Yan Lian.