Children used to enjoy fountain lights in the evening but this feature has been in disrepair for about a year. Some of the tiles are also missing, and the water is stagnant in the metre-deep pool.
DATARAN Klang@Padang Chetty opened to the public with much fanfare in June 2021, having undergone a RM2.5mil refurbishment.
It was Klang Municipal Council’s (MPK) attempt to rejuvenate the area formerly known as Padang Chetty, a field popular with hockey and football enthusiasts.
But just two years in, the 1.34ha public park is suffering from neglect, with some of the tiles on the 3m-wide walkway now a danger to users as they are wobbly and have come dislodged.
Other features of the park, including a hedge maze and fountains, are also in poor shape and in need of repair.
The plastic boardwalk decking around the maze has warped and peeled off, exposing the aluminium brackets. It is both unsightly and a safety hazard for park-goers.
Selangor Safe Community and Environment Association ad hoc committee head Dr Elangovan Krishnan, 51, said they had received numerous complaints from the public about the poor condition of Dataran Klang@Padang Chetty.
“Our association had carried out checks at the public park and we were shocked.
“On entering the park, we noticed that the concrete pavers wobbled as we stepped on them. This is unsafe and can lead to serious trips and falls.
Dr Elangovan showing the concrete pavers along the walk path that have come dislodged at Dataran Klang@Padang Chetty. — Photos: KK SHAM/The Star
“I have been told that some senior citizens on morning walks had fallen here.
“People could end up twisting their ankle on the wobbly tiles and sustaining serious injuries,” added Dr Elangovan, who is a medical practitioner.
StarMetro’s report on April 27, 2021.The pavement tiles are not the only problem at the public park located on Jalan Bukit Jawa in Klang’s Little India.
Several park-goers told StarMetro that they were upset as some hedges meant to create a maze walk had been removed, leaving muddy patches behind, while others were overrun with lalang (weeds).
Sportsman and former International Hockey Federation umpire Serjeet Singh, 66, said the people were disappointed as the condition of the public park pointed to abandonment.
“Due to sheer lack of maintenance, public amenities built with ratepayers’ monies have been wasted.
“We can see the one-metre-wide plastic boardwalk decking around the 500m maze has warped, exposing the aluminium brackets and it is not safe at all.
“Children used to enjoy the colour-changing fountain lights in the late evenings, but this feature has been in disrepair for about a year.
Workers seen cutting lalang (weeds) which have overrun hedges at the park’s maze. Some hedges are missing, leaving only muddy patches.
“Worse still, some of the terrazzo tiles covering the sunken fountain are missing and children might fall into the metre-deep fountain area, which is filled with water,” he added.
Serjeet said MPK, which oversaw the park, should ensure that it was properly maintained.
Mohd Azlan says MPK must take immediate steps to resolve these safety issues.Former sportsman and secondary school teacher Mohd Azlan Abdul Aziz, 59, said the sight of the public park left to ruin was a cause for concern as it endangered people’s safety.
“Wobbly concrete pavers along the walk path are a danger to all. MPK’s Gardens and Recreational Department must take immediate steps to resolve all the issues at the earliest,” he said.
Alliance for a Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the poor condition of Dataran Klang@Padang Chetty “is a shame as the public park is in a royal town”.
“Based on the state of neglect of various amenities within the park, it boils down to poor maintenance culture in our country that inconveniences the people.
“I have said this time and again. Even governments have come and gone, but the maintenance culture has not changed or improved.
“It is still the same,” he said.
Lee said he was not sure whether local authorities were hampered by lack of funds.
Serjeet says people are disappointed with the condition of the public park.He said a safety audit should be carried out while waiting for repairs to be done.
“Another factor could be the attitude of those paid to build the public park.
“It was built a little more than two years ago.
“At times, contractors do not do the work competently and this compromises safety for all who use the park,” he said.
Lee stressed that service delivery needed to be improved as the effects were borne by the tax-paying public, who deserved good amenities.
“Since the public park poses a danger to its users due to the neglect, it would be wise for MPK to cordon off the area immediately to ensure the people’s safety,” he said.
When contacted, MPK acting secretary Zaireezal Ahmad Zainuddin said the local council had decided to temporarily close Dataran Klang@Padang Chetty to ensure public safety.
However, he could not confirm the duration of the closure nor the cost of repair works.
“The local council’s Gardens and Recreational Department is in the midst of preparing the bill of quantities and approval to be submitted to the council president,” he added.
The original Padang Chetty, which was a training ground for many local athletes, got its name from Chettiar merchants from India’s Tamil Nadu who sold salt in bullock carts at the field in the 1940s.
Next to it is the iconic, 150-year-old Sri Nagara Thandayuthapani Hindu Temple managed by the Nattukottai Chettiar community which is a religious hub for the Hindus.
The Chettiar merchants were also involved in money-lending businesses across the field at Jalan Raya Barat.
In 2019, MPK announced plans to revitalise the area at a cost of RM2.5mil.
Initially, the revamped park was called Dataran Majlis Perbandaran Klang but following objections from residents and politicians, it was renamed Dataran Klang@Padang Chetty.
