Relief for Section 20 residents

Relief for Section 20 residents

By Star Metro Reporter TAN KARR WEI

karrwei@thestar.com.my

RESIDENTS living along Jalan 20/24 in Section 20, Petaling Jaya, can heave a sigh of relief now that a three-storey structure that was being built on a piece of vacant land has been demolished.

Resident Yike Soon Ling, 58, said that she and her neighbours received a notice from the then Petaling Jaya Municipal Council in 2003 informing them of a proposal to build a double-storey service centre on the privately-owned land.

“We protested but we never heard from the council regarding their decision. Before we knew it, they had started construction on the structure,” said Yike.

Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lau Weng San said that he had in early 2010 asked the council to investigate the matter because residents were unhappy with the structure.

“The houses along the road were only single-storey while the structure built looked like it was three-storeys. Besides, the land is privately owned and is for residential use.

Good move: The structure built on an empty piece of land along Jalan 20/24 in Petaling Jaya near the Taman Paramount LRT station has been torn down, much to the relief of residents.

“The land usage has not been converted,” said Lau.

He said that the hoardings put around the land were peeling off and many cars parked by the area had their rims stolen.

He added that the landowner could not be contacted but the contractor had brought down the structure after being given notices by the council.

When contacted, former Kampung Tunku assemblyman Datuk Dr Wong Sai Hou said that there was in fact a proposal in the local draft plan to have a community centre on the land belonging to a private owner.

“But when residents did not want it there, the proposal was withdrawn. That three-storey building that came up was not a community centre,” said Dr Wong.

The Jalan 20/24 residents had asked Lau if it was possible to put a cabin there for the Residents Association to use but Lau said that they would have to get permission from the landowner to do so.