Stop-work order issued on luxury bungalows project

By CHRISTINA LOW (The Star, Tuesday April 22, 2008)

KUALA LUMPUR: A stop-work order was issued on the Damansara 21 project Monday after City Hall (DBKL) found that the developer did not comply with safety standards and did not have a proper drainage system.

“We have notified them to stop work until they are able to complete the safety works for the project,” DBKL Public Works Department director Siti Saffur Mansor said at a meeting chaired by DBKL director-general Datuk Salleh Yusup yesterday.

DBKL also found that the developer did not follow the geotechnical report which stated that they must work in stages and not continuously.

It issued two compound notices to the developer totalling RM100,000 in fines.
The Damansara 21 project, which began in early December, comprises 21 luxury bungalows costing between RM10mil and RM15mil each.

Siti Saffur said the developer promised to rectify the faults by May 20. It would also have to submit a report to DBKL every Friday.

She gave assurance that the hillside project posed no danger to the residents, as DBKL was reviewing development sites such as those located in Segambut, Mont Kiara, Damansara, Kampung Sungai Penchala, Batu and Bukit Jalil.

When asked if the area was the last 10% green lung stretch as claimed by the residents, Salleh said it was untrue as the area still had many trees.

Medan Damansara residents held a protest on Sunday for an immediate stop-work order because the project did not have silt-traps, hoarding and a plan to prevent erosion at the site.

Samy Vellu Wannabe

There are reports that I raised only petty issues at the roundtable retreat held by FT ministry on 17-18/4/2008 at Hotel Istana. As a responsible Pakatan Rakyat MP for Segambut, I of course did more than that... (I am glad of all details, whether they seem to you to be relevant or not- Sherlock Holmes).

For the record, on the 1st day of the retreat I have reiterated all issues that were raised by my Pakatan Rakyat MPs before me. I have also raised issues such as when and how Jalan Segambut can be widened/upgraded to tackle the 24/7 traffic woes there, whether the hillside “Damansara21” project to build only 21 bungalows selling at more than 10 millions each is still safe to proceed, to be given the list of names of all key holders to all Segambut community halls which are owned and managed by DBKL but in control by BN people, whether City mayor is waging a war on Pakatan Rakyat MPs by conducting activities/programs under the names of respective Parliament constituency without even informing let alone inviting the rightfully elected MP there and yes, the double standard issue on hotel parking. I further criticized city mayor & FT minister in wasting tax payers’ money on having the retreat at 5-star Hotel Istana while there are available many unutilized DBKL big halls. I even disclosed the misery of a former BN MP in KL who couldn’t get help/cooperation from DBKL even while his term as a MP. And I was the first one to query city mayor and his gangs why the media were not allowed to cover the whole morning session.

As expected, all my issues raised have not been answered at time of writing this blog and yes, I got to pay RM10 for parking.

Unlike Samy Vellu wannabe Datuk M. Saravanan who disappeared at the retreat right after having 5-star hotel lunch only to show himself at the end of the afternoon session and the pompous Tengku Adnan who stormed off the venue shortly after his grand arrival at 2:30pm, FT Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique sat throughout the 9-hour meeting on the 1st day of the retreat.

I didn’t attend the 2nd day of the retreat because Adnan already said that the retreat was rubbish and also of threat by Saravanan not to hold the retreat anymore. They are part of the retreat organizer yet they don’t encourage the need of such forum, so why should I?


LIM LIP ENG
DAP MP for Segambut
20/4/2008

Second Dialogue Ends with Tengku Adnan Storming Off

(New Straits Times Fri, 18/5/08) - The second dialogue between the 10 opposition MPs in Kuala Lumpur and the Barisan Nasional after the general election left much to be desired.

It was marked by the raising of petty issues culminating in Putrajaya MP Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor storming off shortly after lunch.

While the early hours of the meeting, which began at 9am, saw tension in the air, the testy exchanges eventually saw Tengku Adnan losing his cool.

He had arrived at 2.30pm to hear Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng complaining about the venue for the forum and what he claimed was preferential parking for representatives of the Federal Territories Ministry which had organised the event. Lim had asked why the two-day forum was held in a five-star hotel and not at City Hall headquarters here.

He had also asked why Pakatan Rakyat MPs had to pay for their parking while FT Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique and other senior ministry officials had parked in front of the hotel.
"Why should there also be double standards between the BN and the Pakatan MPs," he asked.

As soon as Tengku Adnan left after describing the dialogue as "rubbish", Zulhasnan's deputy, Datuk M. Saravanan, called for a press conference where he accused the opposition of being arrogant and not using the forum to raise constructive issues.

"The MPs have been given an opportunity to voice their opinions to improve the lifestyle of city folk. But I regret their behaviour. The meeting was a waste of time," he said, adding that such forums should not be organised in the future.

Former Labuan MP Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman agreed with Saravanan, calling the forum a "waste of time".

He said the ministry should not organise such forums in future.

"This forum was not used as it should have been. Opposition MPs should use the opportunity to interact and voice their opinions positively.

"But what I saw was arrogance. They just launched their attacks. How are we going to solve problems?," he asked.

Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong repeatedly attacked the mayor Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan, calling for the post to be filled by election and the FT Ministry scrapped.

Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai was also vocal, calling City Hall the "sleeping beauty" as he claimed many long-standing issues had not been settled.

Saravanan and Suhaili suggested that only "professional opposition MPs" be invited for meetings in future.

Batu MP Tian Chua is believed to fit this bill, as he mingled freely with Zulhasnan and other top officials from the ministry and City Hall.

His speech called for more open dialogues with the ministry besides being focused on issues affecting his constituency. Other MPs who left a positive mark on BN officials and City Hall were Bandar Tun Razak MP and Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim who called on Zulhasnan to work with the opposition.

"Let's work together. We can be partners. This is a good forum to solve the various issues affecting city folk."

He suggested that illegal trading, housing and cleanliness be topmost on the ministry's agenda.

Credit, however, goes to Zulhasnan, who sat throughout the nine-hour meeting, leaving only for an hour-long lunch. He first met the opposition MPs two weeks ago where he stressed that he wanted more dialogues to open communication between the BN and the opposition.

He had also proposed dialogues between the MPs and him between parliamentary sessions.

Article taken from MT

DBKL, stop harassing hawkers, petty traders, DBKL tenants and others!

JOINT PRESS RELEASE OF THE 10 OPPOSITION MPs IN KUALA LUMPUR

The 10 opposition Members of Parliament (namely Bandar Tun Razak, Batu, Cheras, Wangsa Maju, Kepong, Titiwangsa, Lembah Pantai, Bukit Bintang, Segambut and Seputeh) met last night (25-03-08) at Federal Hotel. more