Seri Kembangan assemblyman Datuk Liew Yuen Keong said the Selangor Government and local authorities wanted to provide more recreational facilities, especially in housing estates, but were unable to I do so in some areas due to the lack of land.

He said while the state government's ruling that 10% in every parcel of development be set aside as open areas was clear, some developers provided pockets of land where they could not build anything.

"When the completed housing schemes are handed over to the local authorities, the councils end up with several small odd-shaped plots of land all over the housing schemes that are too narrow to even build a badminton court," said Liew, who is also a Subang Jaya municipal councilor.

He said although the developers could do this legally, they should not take advantage of the "loophole"
as they should understand that part of the reason for having the open space was to provide recreational
facilities.

Liew said those developers would usually tell local authorities that they had carried out their responsibility
of providing recreational facilities by building playgrounds, which were meant for younger children.

"This leaves teenagers without a proper place for recreation, and it is this group that we are most concerned about as they are more likely to turn to unhealthy activities to spend their time," he added.

Liew also said there was an urgent need for council officers to visit project sites when development plans
were submitted to ensure that land set aside for facilities such as schools and police station was suitable
for such buildings.

He said the Subang Jaya Muncipal Council had on occasions discovered, after the projects were completed, that the land developers had marked for such use was a small hill, slope or even a pond.

He added that the authorities intending to build the public facilities would frequently find the cost of leveling
the land or filling the pond too high.

"It will be a serious problem if the housing area is large and the people desperately need those facilities," he said. Liew was speaking after presenting the Datuk Liew Yuen Keong Football Championship Cup to the Serdang MCA Division Youth team.

They beat Team Malta 2-0, with both goals scored in the second half, in the final held at the Taman Universiti Indah football field.

Liew urged more residents associations to organize such events, if the prizes offered were small, as they would encourage youths from various areas to get to know one another.

"Having players from various races too, will help promote integration among youths from different backgrounds," he said.