The neighbourhood park near Jalan Daya 10 in Selayang has only two goalposts and two tall fences. -— Photos: CY LEE/The Star
For more than 20 years, residents of Selayang in Selangor have hoped for improved facilities at their local public parks.
A resident, who only wants to be known as Chin, is dismayed that she has to drive to a nearby park for her daily walk.
Chin has lived near the Jalan Daya 10 neighbourhood field for almost three decades.
“Most of the parks near my home don’t have a jogging track, so I have to drive 1.5km to Taman Ehsan, which has a small jogging track.
“It’s a hassle and not environmentally friendly to use my car just for a morning walk,” she added.
She told StarMetro that flooding at the Jalan Daya 10 field was also still a recurring issue.
“Some work was done on the field in the past, but surface runoff remains on the ground for days after rain.
“There are thousands of residents around here, but there are only two goalposts and two tall fences to prevent a football from landing on the road, which hardly meets the community’s needs.
“The outer parts of the park have been neglected too. There are lots of leaves in the drains and lots of mosquitoes, which could be the reason for the high number of dengue cases here,” she added.
Community activist Yee Poh Ping hoped the authorities and elected officials would listen to the residents’ plight.
“There are 10 neighbourhoods – Taman Daya, Taman Ehsan, Taman Ehsan Jaya, Taman Sri Ehsan, Taman Desa Jaya, Taman Indah Perdana, Taman Bidara, Taman Wangsa Permai, Taman Selayang Jaya and Taman Selayang Utama – with parks that are lacking in facilities.
“This is something that residents have requested for decades now, why has it still not been provided to residents?
“Being in Selangor – the wealthiest state in the country – why have these basic facilities been overlooked?” he asked.
He added that there was a nearby park along Jalan Daya 26, but it was not large enough for the residents.
“After visiting Taman Metropolitan Kepong, I found out that a number of residents have to drive more than 5km to exercise safely,” Yee said.
He said he had submitted a proposal to Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) to build a jogging track and instal outdoor exercise equipment so residents of all ages might enjoy the green space.
“We want the authorities to stick to their word of promoting a healthy lifestyle, and urge them to plan upgrades properly so current and future Selayang residents can enjoy the parks,” added Yee.
StarMetro reached out to MPS for comments but did not receive a response at press time.
