Wednesday, 18 April 2012 23:18
RESIDENTS in Section 12, Petaling Jaya, who are against a move to convert a 5ha plot of restricted commercial zone into commercial zone are allowed to submit an application to extend the objection period for another month.
Yesterday, was the last day for the residents to submit their objections.
Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) public relations officer Zainun Zakaria said the council had received a number of objection letters from residents.
“We feel there are more residents who want to submit their objections and the Section 12 Petaling Jaya Residents’ Association (RA) can apply to the council to extend the time frame of objections for another month. Earlier we had placed an advert in an English daily to invite residents to express their views on the move to convert the status of the land and April 18 was the deadline,” she said.
Zainun added that there were some residents who wanted the deadline extended. Letters can still be addressed to the MBPJ.
The RAs or a few residents could come together to initiate that course of action.
Earlier in news reports, Section 12 Residents Association president Datuk A. Narayanan had said that Section 12 had previously been gazetted as a residential area under the PJ Local Draft Plan 1.
It was learnt that the strip of land between Jalan Universiti, Jalan 12/5 and Jalan 12/7 had been gazetted as limited commercial area.
Currently there are 30 bungalow staff quarters on the 5ha land that comes under the ownership of Universiti Malaya and there are plans to build a UM Health Metropolis which includes a medical university, commercial centres, hotel and medical facility.
Residents in the neighbourhood fear the development will compound the already bad traffic congestion, add to the lack of parking spaces and also create security problems.
Section 12 Residents’Association vice president R. Rajasoorian is against the full commercial status in the said area as it would bring a host of problems like a traffic increase.
“We want to have a face to face dialogue with MBPJ where it involves all parties including the RAs and Rukun Tetangga,” he said.
Zainun assured the residents that once all objection letters are vetted, including the ones that come in after the (new) extension period, the MBPJ will facilitate a dialogue session with the residents.
“We want residents to channel their objections via letters and not hold protests as it would not serve the purpose,” she said.
From The Star