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Posted by LeeYK
Source: Star Feb10
USERS of Jalan Tanjung in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, are getting frustrated about the worsening traffic situation in the area. About 30 residents from Tropicana, Riana Green condominium and the surrounding areas held a press conference at the Riana Green function room to highlight their plight.
“The state government had made an announcement in December to acquire the land belonging to BUCC (Bandar Utama City Corporation) and to widen the road but right now, nothing has been done,” said Action Group Against Closure of Jalan Tanjung Bandar Utama chairman Mohamed Shukri Zain.
He said the traffic had worsened since school reopened and it took at least 20 to 30 minutes just to get onto the Sprint highway from Jalan Tanjung.
“The other alternative is through the tunnel in Persiaran Tropicana and that is also jammed as traffic gets backed up at the BU11 and BU12 area in Lebuh Bandar Utama,” he said.
Residents had brought up the matter to the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and had requested for the timing of the traffic lights to be changed but all to no avail. Shukri also said it was not right for BUCC to place barriers and speed bumps in front of the 1 Tech Park because it was out of the boundaries of its private land.
“They have reduced the road to only one way going out and the guards would stop the traffic to give priority to cars going into and out of the 1 Tech Park and this slows down traffic,” said Shukri.
Cita Damansara Condominium joint management body committee member Kenneth Tan said the whole issue had created an “us against them” border mentality between Bandar Utama and Tropicana.
“It shouldn’t be the case because many of us use the road to go to Bandar Utama,” said Tan.
SJK(C) Damansara board chairman Michael Tang said most cars using the road in the morning were heading towards the highway.
“The shopping centres in Bandar Utama are not open until 10am so how can they say that we are bringing congestion into their neighbourhood?” asked Tang.
Shukri said they just wanted answers as to when the road would be opened and the current status of the land acquisition.
“We are pleading with the state government to speed up the process so that we don’t have to suffer anymore,” said Shukri.
Riana Green joint management body committee member Kong Chock Heng said they had earlier received a letter from the Land Office to attend a meeting because some portions of their land was required for the road expansion.
“However, the meeting was later called off because of some legal matters,” said Kong.
Riana Green resident Udo Kraus, who is a retired mechanical engineer, conducted a study on the time and resources wasted by fellow residents since the road was closed.
“We now have to travel an extra 4.5km distance when using the Persiaran Tropicana or an extra 6km using the Kota Damansara way,” said Kraus.
He said this took a lot of time and fuel wasted for residents of the 1,200-odd units since the road was closed in November.
When contacted, BUCC general affairs manager Paul Fernandez said they had already received the acquisition order from the Land Office but they had also obtained an order from the court to put everything on hold until the case management and hearing of their pending case has taken place.
“We can’t go against the land acquisition order and we are just asking for it to be put on hold until the court has listened to all parties involved,” said Fernandez.
Regarding the barriers in front of 1 Tech Park, he said BUCC had to put in place a traffic management system for the office tenants and the guards were put there to manage traffic.
As of press time, the MBPJ has yet to give a statement regarding the status of the road and the traffic lights timing.
Posted by LeeYK
Source: Star Feb 8
HAVING a gated and guarded community is not the solution to reducing crime rate in residential areas.
Petaling Jaya Utara Federal Coordinator Datuk Dr Wong Sai Hou said what was needed was a higher police presence in the area.
“All the barriers being put up in housing areas is turning Petaling Jaya into a war zone.
“Staying in a gated community is almost like living in a detention camp,” said Dr Wong during the SS3 Community Fight Crime Street Party in SS3/59B, Petaling Jaya, recently.
SS3 residents organised the event to highlight the increasing petty crime in the area. Dr Wong also said in today’s community, people did not even know their own neighbours.
“If you know your neighbour well enough, then they would be able to tell if something suspicious is happening,” he said.
SS3 Rukun Tetangga chairman S. Narasingam said there had been several cases of snatch thefts and robberies in the area.
“Most crime happen in the late mornings and early afternoon when most people are at work.
“One resident also had his car broken into and his sports rim and steering wheel was stolen,” said Narasingam.
He said many people who work in the area or those who used the Taman Bahagia LRT station would park their cars along the lane by the river separating SS3 and the LRT station.
“Snatch thefts would target those who are walking back from the LRT station,” he said.
He said employing security firms was not a solution to the problem as a girl was robbed at knife point in another area in SS3 which was gated and guarded.
Sungai Way police station deputy head Sjn Mejar Mohd Ali Abdul Latif, who was also present at the event, advised residents to be extra cautious when walking home alone.
“You should not wear flashy jewellery to avoid drawing attention to yourself and women should not carry handbags on the side of the body that is exposed to the road as it will make it easier for thieves to snatch it,” he said.
He also advised residents to give their details to the police station when they leave for their hometowns to celebrate Chinese New Year.
“The police who are patrolling the area will then keep a watch on your house while you are away,” he said.
The numbers of the police stations around the area are: Sungai Way (03-7875 2222), Sea Park (03-7874 2222), Kelana Jaya (03-7806 2222), Petaling Jaya (03-7966 2222).
Dr Wong said the SS3 Residents Association would also be starting a SMS alert system for the community and he advised residents to sign up for it.
Posted by LeeYK
Source: Star Feb 6
RESIDENTS along Jalan SS24/10 in Taman Megah, Petaling Jaya, have been having sleepless nights since their neighbourhood introduced the gated and guarded scheme. It isn’t all about the crime rate that they are furious about, but the heavy traffic diverted to the road in front of their homes since the scheme was introduced last year.
The affected residents claim that since the security scheme started, certain roads had been blocked permanently with oil drums and boom gates making cars previously accessing the roads to the LDP highway having no alternative but to use Jalan SS24/10. This is because Jalan SS24/3 and Jalan SS24/1 which lead to Jalan SS24/10 have been completely blocked.
A resident, who declined to be named, said she had to leave her home early each morning in order not to be caught in the traffic crawl at her place.
“Although I teach at a school nearby, I have to leave home before 6.45am so that I can reach my work place in time which is just five minutes away,” she said.
Another resident said the committee which initiated the scheme clearly did not plan to include those in Jalan SS24/10.
“Most of us are not members of the gated and guarded scheme because we have been totally left out of it and our road is easily accessed by anyone regardless of whether they live here or not,” said the resident.
He added that some houses had also been been broken into, while others who parked their cars outside their houses along the road had their windscreens smashed by passers-by. The residents said they had brought the matter up to Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) seeking answers to the barricaded road but there had been no reply.
Two police reports had also been lodged at the Kelana Jaya police station as they felt it was illegal to block off the roads without taking into consideration the inconvenience caused to others living around the area. The roads that were barricaded were Jalan SS24/1, Jalan SS24/2, Jalan SS24/3, Jalan SS24/7 and Jalan SS24/9.
The residents want MBPJ to look into the matter by reopening Jalan SS24/1 road divider located at the T junction of Jalan SS24/13. They said this would ease the congestion on Jalan SS24/10 which will serve as an alternative road to the LDP.
When contacted, MBPJ councillor Tiong Boon Keong said a letter had been issued to the residents manning the gated and guarded scheme seeking them to remove the barricades but the committee had pleaded for the removal to be done after Chinese New Year instead, citing the long holidays as a reason.
Tiong added that he would be meeting MBPJ department heads and councillors next week to discuss the gated and guarded issue in the city as they were finalising the guidelines for such neighbourhood projects undertaken by residents.
“We will not be encouraging them to barricade the roads and will also be letting them know what they can and cannot do. They might be able to close it only from midnight to 6am but not permanently. However, that will have to be approved by the council first,” said Tiong.
On the traffic issue, he said, once the barricades were removed, it would definitely ease the flow of traffic especially during peak hours in the morning and evening. Tiong said he would be meeting Taman Megah residents soon together with the Damansara Utama assemblyman Dr Cheah Weng Yin to brief them on the issue.
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Global
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Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 8:30am
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Sunday, June 6, 2010 at 11:00am
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Bandar Harapan
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In order to have abundance trees for up coming tree planting project, we have started a project to grow our own tree.
We need volunteers’ help to take some seeds home and grow the trees.
As this is the first time we are doing it, we are unsure how long it takes for the seed to sprout. According to the expect, it might take 3-5 weeks.
The seeds were collected in our last seed collection trip at Sg. Panjang.
Our goal is to grow 15,000 trees. Thus we would like to invite 150 people (or more) to grow 100 trees per person.
If you are interested, kindly contact Desmond ( http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=585134706&ref=search&sid=707955171.1069085653..1)
Method :
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1. prepare a container (please use recycle items whenever possible, i use milk carton)
2. cut out one site (refer to pictures)
3. fill in the with 1 cm height of soil.
4. pick out the seed from the fruit.
5. mix the seed with sand
6. place the seed with sand on top of the soil.
7. water the sand everyday
8. be patient and patient and ….
9. lastly, once the seeds have sprout, share your method with other volunteers so that we can improve further.
Posted by LeeYK
Source: Star Feb 2
CHANGING the Lembah Subang tunnel into one-way traffic flow recently was another blow to business at NiuZeXui (NZX) commercial centre. The new flow that now prevents motorists from entering Ara Damansara via Taman Megah Mas has further compounded the commercial centre’s accessibility problem.
To make matters worse, the commercial centre’s shopowners and the developer are in a standoff that has been dragging on for months. All these led to the deterioration of the once popular commercial area, touted to be the largest covered boulevard in the country and one of the most exciting property investments in 2007. It is hardly 10% occupied now even though all the units have been sold, and some of them were once occupied by international brands.
The Petaling Jaya City Council’s (MBPJ) Building Control Department spokesman said the permit for temporary structures on the boulevard had expired in November 2008 and its renewal was not approved, thus the structures had to go.
“The council did not renew the permit for the following year because the site where the kiosks were located on was supposed to be a common area. Shopowners brought the issue to our attention in April 2009. They also highlighted their plight that the kiosks had affected their business,” he said.
“Also, the permit only allowed temporary structures to be built on the site but the ‘kiosks’ were actually permanent shops complete with renovations, air-conditioning and in some cases, another level perched atop,” he added.
He said notices for demolition and evacuation were issued in the same month, adding that the developer had complied promptly and started removing the structures. He also pointed out that the developer had at the same time applied for an individual title for the boulevard. He said the application was submitted in 2007 and approved in April 2009. Shopowners, on the other hand, had protested against it.
Nevertheless, he said even if the developer had succeeded in obtaining a title for the boulevard, it would need to submit fresh applications to the council for the placement of structures on the site. Joint Management Body chairman C.K.Chim said the owners who paid up to RM1.8mil for a three-storey unit felt frustrated that the commercial centre had been reduced to such a state.
“The units were sold in three months as investors liked the concept but the happiness was short-lived as the developer started building kiosks in between the shops.
“We estimate that with 331 kiosks, they were making between RM250,000 and RM300,000 per month,” Chim said.
He added that the kiosks, some of which were three-storey high, blocked the front portion of the shops and affected business.
“In fact, it was shown in NZX’s brochure that the boulevard will be adorned with a row of fountains but all we had on the site were structures preventing customers from noticing our shops,” he said.
He said when owners raised the problem during meetings, the developer’s representative was never cooperative and eventually stopped attending the meetings. He said the joint management body found out that the boulevard was a common property, adding that this was later confirmed by MBPJ.
“The owners are also strongly objecting to the developer’s trick of trying to claim ownership of the common area by applying for strata title for the boulevard,” he added.
Asked why the carpark has also been out-of-bounds, Chim said the developer had refused to pay the joint management body the required maintenance fees and thus decided to close it.
Chim said the owners were pooling their resources to turn the commercial centre into a vibrant boulevard resembling The Street at The Curve shopping centre, but faced numerous problems.
“We are facing obstacles left, right and centre. Business dropped as much as by 70% when the tunnel was first closed. Now it is turned into one-way traffic and the Ara Damansara access is not open,” he lamented.
The developer could not be reached for comment.
Article and pic by LeeYK
Jan 27
When petrol prices shot through the roof last year, many motorists jumped onto the bandwagon to convert to LPG. For shops specializing in such conversions, it was a windfall and they did more business during those few weeks than perhaps the entire year before. For some, the petrol price increase was the catalyst that push them into the conversion, something which they had always wanted to but kept putting off for various reasons. For others, the price increase was too much to bear and they decided to bite the bullet for a very expensive cash outlay in return for some savings in the future.
One of the biggest deterrents of converting to LPG is the lack of re-fueling stations. Looking for such a station is like searching for a gem in a river bed and once found, it remains inked in your memory perhaps forever. In your first encounter, the initial exhilarations quickly turn to despair. Often you find a train of red and white vehicles snaking round the block. Welcome to Economics 101! It’s the demand and supply theory in action.
If you have done the conversion, feelings of regrets start to creep in. You ask yourself : Why, on earth, did I dish out a couple of grands to land myself in such a situation? Why do I give up the convenience of driving to any petrol station any time of day (or night), refuel and done with in less than 10mins?
For Ara Damasarians, here is the comforting news. The Petronas station in our neighbourhood now offers this re-fueling service. It has been in operations for a few months now. So if the lack of station is holding you back, you can’t use that excuse now!
Happy re-fueling!
Posted by LeeYK
Source: Star Jan 22
I REFER to your story “Caught unawares — Taman Megah Mas side of tunnel is now a one-way street”.
Converting the tunnel to one way is not a solution. The traffic is now diverted to the new FAS tunnel which also leads to the new residential area.
The authorities are just diverting the problem to another area. Ever since the old tunnel was converted to one-way, the whole stretch of road from the FAS tunnel to Jalan PJU1A/46 (cross junction) has become congested with a long queue during peak hours.
Another problem is that many roads in Taman Mayang and Taman Mayang Mas have been closed to the public. What if residents in the FAS tunnel area complain about the congestion in their residential area? Will the authorities close the FAS tunnel, too, or convert it into one way?
Also, there are many potholes along the FAS tunnel but nothing has been done. The authorities take ages to mend potholes in Petaling Jaya.
The authorities should come and look at the traffic during peak hours. Many motorists and motorcyclists sending their children to SMK Lembah Subang are at risk, especially at the cross junction.
STEPHEN YAU,
Petaling Jaya.
Article & Pic by LeeYK
The excavator is finally here! As the saying goes, it’s better late than never. It was a long 6 months wait but I hope it will be worth it.
The digging has begun and as this project is expected to take 4 months, the area is being fenced up. This is to ensure residents especially children don’t wander into the construction area and endangering themselves.
There are new jogging tracks and new lightings too so residents can enjoy the park facilities in the late evenings as well as into the night.
Who knows? You may be able to see a shooting star and make your wish too!
As the pond is being dug up, there is a small concern with the wildlife there. The thick undergrowth has made it an ideal place for some birds to make their nestlings and if you had the opportunity to stroll in the park, you would have witnessed some of these wild birds searching for food. Once their nestlings are destroyed, I wonder if they will come back.
Urinary Tract Infections and Bacterial Vaginosis: 2 common infections afflicting women worldwide
Day/Date: Saturday, 23-Jan-2010
Time: 2-4pm
Venue: BiO-Life Headquarters, Block N-41, PJU 1A/1, Taipan Damansara 2, Ara Damansara
Admission: FREE
Posted by LeeYK
Source: Star Jan 13
THE NiuZeXui commercial centre in Ara Damansara was touted as the “largest covered boulevard” in the country and “most exciting property investment in 2007” when it was launched.
While its colourful outdoor advertisements featuring a blue bull still attract attention along the Damansara-Puchong Expressway, this is in stark contrast to the commercial centre’s current state of affairs.
The commercial centre is hardly 20% occupied now. Only the row of outlets in the front and a few inside the boulevard are operating as usual. The rest which used to be occupied by big international brands are now vacant.
Statues and posters of Disney characters from the commercial centre’s previous promotion are still in place but the business kiosks and structures are being taken down.
Air-conditioning hoses, steel frames and planks removed from the outlets are piled on the floor.
A person-in-charge at the management office, when approached, said the commercial centre was only undergoing upgrading works and the tenants would come back once the renovations are completed.
The tenants, who are still operating there, said they were in the dark about what was happening at the centre.
“We were told that they were renovating this place to make it better,” one of them said.
However, the silence and tapes cordoning off selected areas, including the car park, indicate that something is wrong.
Several workers loitering about in the area said the commercial centre had been quiet due to inconvenient access and that the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) had ordered that kiosks and structures in the middle of the boulevard be taken down.
When contacted, MBPJ confirmed that they issued the order as the permits had expired and renewal was not approved because the relevant regulations had not been fully complied with.
The council would issue a statement in the near future to explain the matter in details.
Attempts to reach the developer proved futile.
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