Stop roadblock nonsense now

27/08/2007 The Star

I REFER to “Unlawful roadblocks” reported recently (The Star, Aug 11). I am shocked to read that these guardhouses and barriers erected over public roads are unlawful.

If even a police or JPJ officer cannot erect or place a barrier on or across any road (unless he is in uniform and authorised in writing by an inspector or a higher-ranking officer), why are private guards being allowed to stop motorists like us, require us to wind down the window, question us and even prevent us from using public roads?

Some of these guards are foreigners who can barely understand us.

Why are some selfish residents allowed to “expropriate” public areas and amenities and deny others the use of such places with impunity?

For instance, Jalan Anggerik Eria 31/109, Kota Kemuning (Shah Alam, Selangor), was freely accessible after this road opened to the public.

The public could easily drive through this road to get across to shops and schools on the other side.

And then the residents decide to set up two guardhouses, one at each end of this road. Construction on the guardhouses stopped for a while apparently following many public complaints, Majlis Bandaran Shah Alam directed the guardhouses to be demolished.

Unfortunately, that was not to be. My friends and I have been stopped many times at both end of this road and heated arguments have taken place with the guards.

They now say we cannot use this road to get across to the other side as it is a private road.

The Kota Kemuning police have said that they are unable to do anything although there have been many public complaints.

It is high time that the police, the JPJ and the local authorities take immediate steps to stop the culprits from blatantly committing offences under the Road Transport Act and the Street, Drainage and Building Act.

AGAINST UNLAWFUL GUARDHOUSES,

Subang Jaya, Selangor.