Apartment owners speak out
13/11/2008 The Star Story and photo by OH ING YEEN

AT a recent meeting with the police, the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and the Join Management Body (JMB), Taman Sri Manja Square One Apartment residents voiced their concerns for safety and the need for better parking facilities.

Held at an unoccupied shoplot near the apartment in Old Klang Road, this was the first meeting the residents had with the respective authorities and about 200 residents turned up.

Present at the meeting were Petaling Jaya Section 8 OCS chief inspector Ahmad Awang Ishak, MBPJ landscape architect Badrulzaman Jaafar, Sri Manja Square One JMB chairman Skein Citbanchong and Susunan Baru Sdn Bhd representative Lee Yat Sun.

All ears: (From left) Ahmad Awang, Badrulzaman, Citbanchong and Lee paying close attention as the residents bring up their grouses.

“The objective of this meeting is to solve the various issues faced by business owners and residents over the past two years,” Citbanchong said.

“The JMB was formed on March 23 this year as stated in Section 5 and 6 Act 633.

“The JMB’s role and authority is as stated in Section 8 of Act 633. We have had monthly meetings and, on Oct 15, we decided to organise this meeting,” he said.

Many came prepared with a list of issues, such as resident Alexandra Stepher who voiced out the need for greenery and road humps in the vicinity.

“It’s like a desert here, I hope the MBPJ will plant more trees in the area.

“There should be road humps to slow motorists who tend to speed to ensure our safety,” the middle-aged laboratory technician said.

Residents also complained that business owners and customers occupied the parking lots meant for aprtment owners.

The result of the discussion was a plan to provide parking stickers to the residents to prevent outsiders from parking at the designated spots.

A resident, identified as Meor, raised the issue of security guards not wearing uniforms.

“Without their uniforms, it scares us to see these men wielding sticks while patrolling as we are unsure of who they are.

“Even though the police patrol the area, they are just sitting in the car and doing nothing,” he said.

Chief inspector Ahmad Awang Ishak promised to investigate the matter and added that there was a lack of manpower in the police force.

He also provided his mobile phone number so that residents could call him in case of emergency.

After the meeting, the residents talked about issues in the neighbourhood over lunch.