PETALING JAYA (Jan 3, 2010) : Residents of USJ 6 have called on the state planning committee to reject proposed plans for nine-storey commercial block in their housing area.
They staged a protest today near the site to appeal to Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, who is also chairman of the committee, to decide on the matter quickly.
The residents' pro-tem committee spokesman Philip Soong said: "Our fate is in the hands of Tan Sri Khalid. He must make a decision on this matter. However, he has yet to make a decision after six months," he said.
"This land has been here since we bought the house 15 years ago and it is meant to be a telephone exchange. The developers didn't tell us it is private land," he said.
Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh, who was present at the protest, called on the committee to back the Subang Jaya Municipal Council's (MPSJ) rejection of the plans submitted by TM Facilities and Pujangga Budiman Sdn Bhd.
"We don't want any commercial development in USJ 6, as this land is supposed to be a Telekom reserve. We would like the SPC to endorse the MPSJ," said Yeoh.
The Selangor Appeals Board held that the fate of the plot lies with the state planning committee as to whether to approve the revocation development order for a nine-storey commercial building on the land.
Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee, who was also present, called for the state executive council to be more transparent in how they reach their decisions.
"The exco members have to be more transparent and make their reasons and rationale for decisions known to the public. No reason was given by them for the revision of the decision of the MPSJ. The people have a right to know how the decisions are being made," he said.
Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad said the MPSJ rejection of the plan should be accepted by the committee.
"What is surprising is that the decision was made without a public hearing of the residents. We can understand if Telekom has no use for this land and wants to capitalise on this asset, but they have to take into account the views and opinions of the residents," he said.
Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua said the state would have to examine the issue carefully as it was not just a local issue.
"A decision will affect all reserve land that are actually commercial in nature throughout the country," he said.
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