Construction of nine-storey complex making life miserable for SS5 Kelana Jaya folk
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Monitored: The peaceful protest was closely watched by police officers who stood and took photographs of it.
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RESIDENTS of SS5 Kelana Jaya can no longer tolerate the heavy traffic flow since the construction of a new project which started a few months ago.
“None of the residents here were told or informed of the project by the developer. We do not even know that a huge commercial centre would be sitting next to our homes until we saw the lorries moving into this area,” said SS5 Action Committee chairman Astornuddin Omar.
Astornuddin said they found out about the project only after reading the signage placed at the site.
“Some of us have lived here for more than 27 years and we have not had anything so huge built here,” said Astornuddin who headed the peaceful protest on Saturday in front of the site in Jalan SS5D/6.
According to the residents, the nine-storey Soho complex was the third project planned on the same vacant lot since 1996.
“The previous projects did not continue after some minor piling work, hence the same lot had seen a change of hands several times,” said its secretary, Sangaran Kutty Menon.
He said the land was previously gazetted under institutional land. However, they were informed that it had changed to commercial land after it was sold.
Near the lot are a therapy centre, a senior citizens association as well as two schools.
“As it is now we are already suffering with the traffic on weekdays especially during peak hours where parents come to pick their children up from school.
“We have no problems as most of us understand that these cars are only here for a short while. But we are worried about the tractors and bulldozers coming into the same road as well, leaving the roads clogged up,” said Sagaran.
He said the problem could turn bad at times when residents could not get in or out of their homes.
Another resident Abdul Wahid Mohd Zain said he could not understand how the road in housing area could withstand the commercial traffic.
“This road here is built for a housing area and not meant for commercial area,” said the architect.
The group had met their assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad to resolve the problem and was even given a chance to meet the Selangor mentri besar last year.
Sangaran said they understood they could not stop the project as it had been approved by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).
During the early morning protest, the residents also presented a memorandum to MBPJ councillor Muzammil Hafiz who said he would try to help the residents on both the project as well as the traffic problems.
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