Ara Damansara

Posted by LeeYK
Source: theSun Feb 25

IN THE ‘60s, gangsters went round the neighbourhood collecting money to protect residents and the business community from harm.

Today, the residents themselves collect money on a monthly basis to get “security personnel” to protect them from harm. Ironic as it is, the police and local authorities encourage such a set-up.

Now, we the public don’t know what is right and what is wrong. Public roads can be sealed off by private parties. “Security guards” are allowed to demand and scrutinise our identity cards.

What is happening? Can we have some sense of rationality? Can we go back to the basics of law and order and governance? First of all, public roads are what they should be – for public use. The public, through taxes, pay for the maintenance of roads and other facilities in a housing estate.

Therefore residents associations have no right to seal off facilities belonging to the public.

If residents are adamant that they should protect their safety, they should apply to the authorities to acquire all public facilities they have blocked others from using. Once they have acquired them, these would legally belong to them. They should also be prepared to pay for assessment and quit rent. Also, the upkeep of these facilities would be borne by them.

Next, why are we paying taxes? It is because we band together in a region and pay for the government to protect us from harm. Now that the government has failed to provide security to a large section of the population and actually encourages them to protect themselves, it is only right that expenses incurred by these people be tax-deductible. Costs incurred in hiring guards should be allowed as deductions.

It is hoped that when everyone plays his or her rightful role, some sense of law and order will return.

Foncion