By YIP YOKE TENG | Dec 14, 2009
MBPJ to seek ministry’s help on gated issue
AS the situation seems to be getting a little out of hand, the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will have to engage the Housing and Local Government Ministry to rectify complications arising from the concept of gated and guarded communities.
“It is a difficult issue,” said Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman.
“Selangor has drawn up a set of guidelines for those who want to turn their housing estates into gated and guarded communities, but, even then, we have received strong voices from two opposing sides.”
He stressed that it was still illegal to put up barriers obstructing access to public roads under the Street, Drainage and Building Act.
“Having gated and guarded communities leads to a number of complications.
“For instance, motorists may not be able to file insurance claims for accidents happening at these barricaded roads as insurance companies will try to say they are no longer public roads.
“Roads with barriers will definitely be a nuisance for rescue units in times of emergency.
“Who is going to bear the responsibility if something untoward happens in that situation?” he asked after launching the MBPJ Aerobic Workout Programme recently at Dataran Petaling Jaya.
He said while the concept was introduced and deemed necessary by certain quarters to bring down crime rates, legalising the move would involve amending the law which could only be done in Parliament.
He added that was why the matter had to be referred to the ministry.
Meanwhile, the council has also introduced community policing to reduce the need to cordon off housing estates while the council’s traffic enforcement officers would also be deployed to patrol high-risk areas.
The MBPJ Aerobic Workout Programme, attended by 400 participants from the council and residents associations, would be made a monthly affair starting next year.
Roslan said schools and colleges would be invited to take part in the programme, to create a healthy nation and at the same time make good use of the field.
Asked about plans in store for the coming year, he said they had to be tabled at the full board meeting first but the focus would be on inculcating a clean culture throughout the city through the Clean Zone competition.
See related news:
|