Dwarfed by high-rises

Surrounded by skyscrapers: Baskaran Sundaramoorthy in front of his house with high-rise buildings towering over his home in Jalan Bukit, Kajang. — GRACE CHEN/The Star

DEVELOPMENT is good, but overdevelopment disrupts peaceful living.

This is because along with development come environment and noise pollution as well as traffic congestion, say residents in the Bangi parliamentary constituency in Selangor.

The Bangi folk expect their future MP to have foresight on development plans and how they will affect nearby communities in the long run.

“Whoever makes it as the MP for Bangi will have to take a long hard look at the area’s development issues,” said Kajang resident Baskaran Sundaramoorthy, 79, who lives in Jalan Bukit.

Up till 2018, Baskaran said he never dreamt he would one day be looking up at a three-block high-rise project at the back of his single-storey bungalow.

The project was approved by Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) and the building now towers right beside the house his father built.

Disappointed that the go-ahead for the project was given without consideration for the quality of life of existing residents, Baskaran wants the complaints raised by the people on the project be looked into.

“The entire stretch of Jalan Bukit is a mess due to construction activities and traffic congestion that comes with the presence of four educational institutions, an MRT station and double-parking by errant motorists,” he said.

“For now, there are no blinkers to alert motorists of work that is ongoing at the roadside.

“The schools are also not taking the proper measures to direct traffic flow.

“Instead, they are relying on security guards who have no experience with such tasks.

“There should be some allocation to enlist the help of Rela personnel to do the job,” added Baskaran.

(From left) Taman Taming Indah Residents Association committee member Robert Ng, Ong and vice-chairman Wong Yap Seng want solutions to traffic woes brought on by development around Bandar Sungai Long.

In Bandar Sungai Long, Taman Taming Indah Residents Association president Ben Ong said residents expected their traffic woes to worsen due to development.

“According to MPKj’s first amended local area draft plan for 2035, we saw that over 400ha were marked for development in Bukit Enggang.

“The problem is, we have only two access roads. One is the Grand Saga Expressway interchange from Bandar Sungai Long to Bukit Dukung while the other is from Bandar Mahkota Cheras to Bandar Tun Husssein Onn.

“We have reason to believe this will not cater to traffic needs in the coming years,” he said.

Developers behind the new projects, he said, should be made to participate in building alternative routes.

Ong hopes the future Bangi MP would raise the matter in Parliament.

Kampung Sungai Ramal Dalam resident Mohd Zain Zainudin, 35, also hopes the future MP would give some attention to the environment and find ways to monitor the improper discharge of used spare parts and engine oil from motorcycle workshops in his village.

As 90% of the villagers are motorcycle owners, the mode of transport is a necessity for the community.

“There are already no fewer than six motorcycle workshops operating here, and without proper monitoring, waste generated from these workshops are an environmental threat,” said Mohd Zain.

Hentian Kajang resident Ikmal Hakimi, 20, wants solutions for the rubbish problem in Sungai Langat.

“Heavier penalties are needed to deter illegal waste dumping as well as litterbugs. Water pollution must be taken seriously. It needs careful management,” he said.

The first-time voter also hopes the authorities would take flood preventive measures in Jalan Reko, such as widening the drains.

Ongoing developments in Jalan Bukit, Kajang, include four educational institutions and an MRT station that contribute to traffic congestion during peak hours.

Kampung Baru Balakong resident Ng Wen Bin, 24, said it was high time the village’s pothole-ridden roads were fixed as they were a major cause for damaged motorcycle rims and posed a danger to motorcyclists.

The mechatronics engineering graduate who has experienced four flooding incidents also wants better maintenance for the drains.

“Some of them are broken while others are choked with weed,” said Ng.

Matthew Choong, 38, who is the pastor at the Kajang Chinese Methodist Church, said it was important for the future MP to go down to the ground to find out what the community really needed.

“This is to ensure only programmes relevant to the community are run.

“He should also be disciplined enough to clock in at his service centre regularly.

“Ideally, the service centre should be available to the public during office hours to entertain enquiries and complaints, not closed most of the time,” said Choong.

The constituents also want their elected MP to keep their promises and not go missing only to reappear when the next general election draws near.

With a total of 303,430 voters, Bangi is the most populous parliamentary constituency in the country. Located about 40-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur, the constituency is made up of the state seats of Kajang, Balakong and Sungai Ramal.

Its electorate has grown by 69.7% since GE14, according to the Election Commission report that was released on candidates’ nomination day on Nov 5.

Malays make up the majority at 51%, the Chinese and Indian comprise 36% and 12% respectively while other ethnicities constitute 1% of the voters.

Contesting in the 15th General Election for the parliamentary seat are Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Hoh Hee Lee (MCA), Pakatan Harapan’s Syahredzan Johan (DAP), Perikatan Nasional’s Muhammad Nazrul Md Nazir (PAS), Chee Chee Meng (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) and Annuar Salleh (Berjasa or Pan-Malaysian Islamic Front) who is contesting under a Gerakan Tanah Air ticket.

Three Independent candidates are also joining in the fray – entrepreneur Suthan Mookaiah, environmental health expert Dr Jamal Hisham Hashim and Muhammad Fauzi Hasim, who is the former Youth chief of Selangor Amanah.