STOP! We don't want Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in old Subang Airport, say Subang Jaya & USJ residents.

Sunday, 17 February 2008

STOP! We don't want Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in old Subang Airport, say Subang Jaya & USJ residents.

Fed up with hearing of plans to bring the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) to Subang airport, residents of Subang Jaya and USJ have formed a committee to object to the project.

Their major concern - the risk posed by commercial planes flying over their heads and the "return" of vibrating windows and noise every time a plane flies overhead.

Incumbent Subang Jaya State Assemblyman Dato Lee Hwa Beng who met the community leaders last night said residents raised three (3) issues:

1. The risk posed by planes flying over the housing area. Prior to the decommissioning of the Subang International Airport, the maximum height of buildings allowed by the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) was 17-storeys.

"Since then, the DCA has allowed buildings to go up to 22-storeys. How will this compromise on the safety limits when a plane takes off and lands via Subang Jaya?," he asked.

2. Buffer zones previously around the Subang Airport have now been developed with the likes of Ara Hills, Saujana and Subang 2, some of which have 30-storey buildings.

3. New housing projects have been developed over the few years since the closing of the Subang Airport. It would be unfair to buyers, especially those who had bought houses in Glenmarie for the tranquility and peace in the surrounding area, to now have that shattered by planes overhead.

Dato Lee said residents felt the LCCT in KLIA should be expanded to cater to the growing budget airline market since two thirds of the area was undeveloped.

Subang Jaya, which is right in the middle of KLIA and the old Subang Airport will become a "transit" point for passengers of international flights from KLIA and budget flights out of Subang Airport, if the plan was allowed to proceed.

"Residents here can tolerate the existing exhibition cum convention centre and aircraft maintenance facilities in the Subang Airport but not the LCCT hub."

"A committee is going to be formed to put together an action plan. Members will comprise of community leaders from Kelana Jaya, Subang Jaya and USJ," Dato Lee said.