Taman Tempua residents worried after seeing the setting up of the base of the telco tower at Jalan Tempua 3 in Bandar Puchong Jaya.
BANDAR Puchong Jaya residents in Puchong, Selangor, are questioning the approval given for the construction of a telecommunications tower at a public park in Taman Tempua near their homes.
They want the Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ) and its residents association (RA) to disclose who actually supported the project in Jalan Tempua 3, following the RA’s claim that it received the backing of 61% of the residents.
Voicing his disapproval is Jalan Tempua 16 resident Richard Gomez, 64, who said he only became aware of the project on June 17 when he saw contractors setting up the base of the tower.
He also complained that there was no comprehensive representation of all residents in regards to the tower construction.
“How and why was I not informed,” he asked in questioning the results of a feedback survey conducted by the RA.
Gomez was among some 30 residents who gathered on June 18 to protest against the construction of the telecommunications tower.
Tempua RA chairman Alan Chan said they were given two weeks by MBSJ to collect residents’ response but the RA managed to get it done in a week.
Chiew wants a temporary halt to the telco tower contruction.
“A total of 231 responses were received from Tempua residents,” he said.
The result of the survey, conducted from Feb 18 to 24, was shared in their WhatsApp group.
The survey results showed that 204 people responded, with 124 (61%) supporting the tower project and 80 (39%) opposing it. Several responses were disregarded for double submission.
There are about 900 households in Taman Tempua.
R. Natan, 52, said his house was nearest to the tower, just a mere 12m away.
He said that he did not receive any survey form from the RA in regards to supporting the erection of the tower.
“I did, however, sign a petition to oppose it.
“The least the RA could have done was engage with the residents,” he said.
Jalan Tempua 13 resident S. Thila claimed that after a Feb 14 meeting on the matter, MBSJ had said it would have a follow-up meeting in two weeks but the meeting did not take place.
The dissatisfied residents also met Kinrara assemblyman Ng Sze Han as well as sent letters to Subang Jaya MP Wong Chen and Subang Jaya mayor Mohd Fauzi Mohd Yatim about the tower construction and the RA’s claims of support.
Subang MCA chairman Lawrence Chiew Kai Heng, who was present at the protest, requested for a temporary halt to the construction until a dialogue is held between MBSJ, its councillors, the contractor and residents’ representatives from opposing sides.
He said there was a need to gain a comprehensive perspective on the tower’s construction and its proximity to residents’ houses.
“I personally believe the tower is situated too close to the houses.
“There are numerous alternative locations for it,” he added.
A representative of the tower owner, Konsortium Jaringan Selangor, said the set deadline for objections had expired, so the contractors could proceed with the construction.
StarMetro had previously highlighted the residents’ concerns in a June 5 article, “Puchong folk divided over telco tower”.
It quoted MBSJ saying it had put up a notice last year stating that it received an application to build the 24m-high structure.
The residents, however, claimed they were unaware of the notice and that it was not displayed prominently.
