Bukit Rahman Putra residents presenting Halim (left) with proposals for alternative measures. — CY LEE/The Star
A group of Bukit Rahman Putra (BRP) residents are against Selayang Municipal Council’s (MPS) road expansion plan that will take up 20% of a 3.25ha park.
Resident Lam Kin Tong, 63, said he would climb trees at the community park marked for removal if it meant saving them.
The spokesperson for Action Committee Against Destruction to Padang BRP said contractors had first shown up on Aug 21.
“Our neighbours informed us that contractors were ready to fell a number of trees by the edge of the park, and we intervened,” he said.
Lam and action committee member A. Venugopal, 67, took turns to protect the trees by standing on ladders placed against the trees on Thursday.
“We have been monitoring the park closely since then and even set up a makeshift post since Aug 24, which is being manned daily by about 20 residents in shifts from 8am to 6pm,” said Lam.
He added that there had been an altercation on Aug 24 at the BRP public park between contractors and residents as both sides refused to give in, resulting in a police report being lodged.
According to a notice board posted at the park, the proposed project to widen the narrow service road was for nearby SMK Bukit Rahman Putra.
Lam said the project was aimed at reducing traffic congestion, but residents felt it was unnecessary and there were better ways to solve the problem.
M. Munis, 54, a resident of 23 years, said the wider road would hardly make a difference to congestion around the school, but instead heavily affect the green space.
He added that congestion was prevalent on the main road of Jalan BRP 7/2 rather than the service road, which ran behind the school.
On May 8, StarMetro reported that residents had raised the matter in writing with local authorities, the Mentri Besar as well as the then Paya Jaras assemblyman.
“Since 2019, we have sent seven letters stating our concerns but have not received any proper response from the authorities,” Lam said.
He said having seen the original documents relating to the project, the action committee found that there were irregularities.
“The planning permission for this project expired in December 2021, so work should not be done unless there is a renewal and we had repeatedly requested to see a renewed work order.”
He said the contractors and the municipal council had yet to produce such documents and until they did, the residents would continue to guard the trees.
“We plan to continue setting up a post to guard the park all throughout next week.
“We believe that things can be solved with direct communication,” he added.
Lam is also disappointed that MPS officers were not present to discuss the matter with BRP residents and Paya Jaras assemblyman Datuk Dr Halim Tamuri, who visited the site yesterday.
Halim, who was presented with a folder of the residents’ findings and proposals for alternative measures to benefit both the park and the school, said he would find a way to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.
“I will consider the residents’ proposals and look into the issue in detail before bringing it up with MPS to find a win-win solution,” he said.
StarMetro reached out to MPS for comments but did not receive a response at press time.
