Residents protest sudden road closure

The Star, Wednesday January 23, 2013

By OH ING YEEN 

WE want our road back! That was the demand of residents of Taman Kajang Mulia and Taman Sri Minang, Kajang at a protest on Sunday after Jalan Kajang Mulia 1, the access road to their neighbourhood was closed.

Residents questioned the Kajang Municipal Council’s (MPKj) decision for the road closure.

They fear that the residential road would be used by others to avoid traffic congestion on the main road, hence increasing traffic flow in the neighbourhood and putting their safety at risk.

“We have written to MPKj’s Planning and Development department, Kajang assemblyman Lee Kim Sin, local councillor P. Narayanan and even the Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim but there were no replies,” said Taman Kajang Mulia resident A. Subramaniam.

“There were no dialogues or notices; the road was just closed off a few days ago and we have to use the alternative road,” he said.

Motorists now have to use the road at the new commercial area, built at a site which was formerly a secondary jungle, situated just next to Jalan Kajang Mulia 1.

Motorists then exit the road via a junction to connect to Jalan Kajang Mulia 1.

Several residents whose houses are directly in front of the junction fear that motorists may accidentally crash into their gates when exiting the junction.

One of them is Pramila Lingam, 39, who said, “Suddenly there is a junction in front of my house. Should the authorities wait till an accident happens?”

Resident Tham Yu Li said it was difficult and dangerous for them to exit or enter their houses as cars will be honking at them.

“When the shoplots at the commercial area open for business, it will be worse,” he said.

“I used to bring my mentally-challenged daughter for walks around the neighbourhood but now I fear for her safety with the increase of motorists here,” said Taman Sri Minang resident Ahmad Shah Jaafar.

“We are not against development but it should not only be about commercial value,” he said.

MPKj corporate communications head Shariman Mohd Nor was quoted in a report by StarMetro (“Residents fear traffic congestion”, Oct 17, 2012) that the new development would not use any of the roads in Taman Minang as its access.

He said residents had given their written consent to the plan, which was to use a road next to the housing estate and a small patch near a retention pond area that belonged to the state.

The MPKj could not be reached for comments at press time.