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Thursday, 31 January 2008
No to LRT passing through residential areas
No LRT through here please...residents showing their objections to the proposed LRT line which will cut across their neighborhood.
SS 14 residents call on Federal Government to intervene
SUBANG JAYA: Be forewarned. Subang Jaya residents, especially those living in SS14 are ready to go to “battle” to preserve the tranquillity of their neighbourhood and will not take the proposed route of the LRT in their areas sitting down.
While they welcome the move to have the LRT come into Subang Jaya and USJ, residents in this corner of the suburb, some of whom have made this their home since 1979, are up in arms over the “LRT lines” marked out in the Subang Jaya Draft Local Plan.
Contents of the Draft Local Plan reveal a route that starts from the present KTM Komuter Station, making its way down Persiaran Jengka before traversing over the monsoon drain along Jalan SS 14/7, Jalan SS 14/8 Jalan SS 14/5J and Jalan SS 14/6M.
More than 200 residents, joined by other residents from USJ, showed up for a mini-public briefing recently (January 19) to get a better idea of what was proposed in the local plan.
The message to Subang Jaya State Assemblyman Dato' Lee Hwa Beng, who was present, was loud and clear. “NO to the LRT passing through the SS 14 residential area. YES to the LRT coming to Subang Jaya.”
“I think we all agree that the extension of the Putra line from Kelana Jaya to Subang Jaya and the Star line from Bukit Jalil to Puchong will ease traffic in this area.”
“When both extensions were announced by the Federal Government last year I had immediately held consultations with the residents on the best route to Subang Jaya,” he said, adding that a memo was then prepared and given to the Ministry of Transport.
“I have also requested for MPSJ and the Petaling District Office to have more detailed discussions with Syarikat Prasarana Sdn. Bhd., the company appointed by the Federal Government, on these two extensions. Sadly, the latter did not want to meet us. They said that they will meet us after the Cabinet has approved,” Lee added.
Lee expressed doubts that any change would be accepted once the Cabinet has approved it.
“The LRT extensions are to benefit residents in Subang Jaya and Puchong. Hence, the Federal Government or any agencies or companies appointed must consult the residents concerned.”
“ Otherwise, I fear it will be a repeat of the existing Putra and Star lines where some routes and stops are not properly located,” he said.
Lee said that Syarikat Prasana must listen to the people and leave residential roads out of its plans.
Plan LRT with residents, Syarikat Prasarana Sdn Bhd was told
Do not draw lines on maps and forget people on the ground
THE message to Syarikat Prasarana Sdn Bhd was loud and clear.
Residents of Subang Jaya, especially those living in SS14 want the company appointed by the Federal Government to build the LRT and plan for the public transport not just by drawing lines on maps and keeping silent on the details.
Residents who were up in arms recently with the proposed route that cuts across their neighbourhood, as laid out in the draft local plan, want to be involved in the planning of the public transportation system if it were to be implemented in the municipality.
Resident Ismett Azyze, who was present at the briefing organised by residents said the roads along the SS14 monsoon drain was the only access route for them.
“The purpose of introducing the LRT is to ease public transport and not make people's lives difficult.”
“We have been here since 1979. The proposed route shows that the consultant doesn't know what he is doing. If you don't know what you should do, let us do it,” he said, to the loud applause of the other residents.
The route contained in the draft local plan, runs over the monsoon drain, passing by rows of link houses and semi-detached units, as well as a primary school.
K.K. Tan, another resident, was concerned about whether the planners for the LRT had made it a point to ensure that the public transport would be handicap and elderly friendly.
“Make sure you make it user-friendly for the elderly who can't walk up. Provide enough seats as well in the trains,” he said.
To a question by SS14 Neighbourhood Watch president, T.K. Lee, on what recourse residents could take if Prasarana continued to ignore them, Subang Jaya State Assemblyman Dato' Lee Hwa Beng who was present at the briefing said, “MPSJ has got the final say on whether to approve the project or not. If the company does not comply with what residents want, then MPSJ should not approve the project.”
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