Uneasy about barbed wires

Danger lurks (Photo by M. RAJAN of http://thestar.com.my): The overgrowth covers the barbed fence used to deter outsiders from wandering into the PKNS flats.

Source: http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/5bard/Article (By Dawn Chan, 6/3/2011)
Families living at the Selangor State Development Corporation flats in Jalan Kuching are wary of going for a stroll or letting their children run freely around their neighbourhood. For about two months now, the presence of barbed wires placed at areas surrounding 10 blocks of abandoned flats owned by the Defence Ministry purportedly to prevent public access, has the residents living at the 40-year-old housing area worried.
Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, who highlighted the issue on Friday, said rolls of barbed wires, measuring approximately 0.6m high, surrounds the derelict three-storey walkup flats.

The ministry owns 380 flat units. It used to house army personnel before they moved out in 2009. Since then, its been abandoned and in a state of neglect with overgrown lallang and broken windows. The manhole covers and other metal fixtures have been stripped off its structures.
Lim, who visited the area, said, in 2009, he wrote to PKNS about the flats and was told that the Block A, B, C, D, K, L, M, N, P and Q had been sold off to the ministry in 1975. Five more blocks consisting 216 units were sold to the public, two more were rented out and converted into PKNS's office. Therefore, the ministry is responsible for the upkeep the 10 blocks owned by the ministry while the remaining blocks are maintained by PKNS. Two years ago, Lim said, he wrote to Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi asking if there were proposals to do something about the abandoned flats but it went unanswered.
"I hope the ministry will take away these barbed wires, as it is endangering the residents and the public. The street lamps are not lit at night at these unoccupied blocks." He said the ministry should put up barricades which are not dangerous to the public before any untoward incident happens. He added that he received a complaint from a couple whose child was injured after tripping over the barbed wires at night.
Lim said City Hall, under its Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974, is empowered to get the Defence Ministry to do something about the situation. Under Section 85(1)(b), Lim said City Hall has the right to get the ministry to remove the barbed wires to keep the area free from threats that endanger public safety. "If the ministry does not comply, it faces a fine of not more than RM2,000 and further fine of not more than RM200 for each day the barbed wires are not removed. "City Hall can also step in to remove the barbed wires and bill the ministry for the removal work," he said, adding the billing is not subjected to any appeal or review in court.

Related news: Child trips over barbed wire fencing at abandoned flats http://thestar.com.my/metro

1st time ever Pakatan Rakyat allowed to do voters registration drive in a police station!

Election Commission Voters Registration at Pondok Polis Bukit Damansara

Date: 5th & 6th March 2011 (Saturday & Sunday)

Time: 10am to 5pm

Place: Outside Pondok Polis Bukit Damansara (opposite CIMB)

Who can register: Any Malaysian citizen with age 21 and above

Batu Estate residents call off hunger strike

Photo taken from http://malaysiakini.com/

Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro (By PRIYA MENON, 2/3/2011)
A PLANNED hunger strike by the residents of Batu Estate yesterday was called off after Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) agreed not to use the Essential (Clearance of Squatters) Regulation 1969 under the Emergency Ordinance to evict the residents. Some 35 people turned up at the DBKL headquarters yesterday with banners accusing DBKL of siding with the developer.

Together with them were PKR vice-president N. Surendran, Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, Batu MP Tian Chua and Port Dickson assemblyman M. Ravi.

The residents said they would resort to a hunger strike if mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Fuad Ismail or Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin did not give them a positive response on the issue. “We came here last week with a memorandum and the mayor said he would contact Surendran at 4pm with a decision but he failed to do so. “We did not know what else to do so we decided we would go on a hunger strike,” said resident R. Vijayaveeran.

After several minutes, DBKL enforcement officers came down to meet the residents but were sent upstairs again with a request from the residents for a meeting. Finally Director-General Datuk Salleh Yusup agreed to a discussion without members of the press.

“He (Salleh) met with all the residents who attended the protests today and agreed to their requests. “They will allow the residents to discuss the matter with the developer without interference from DBKL,” Surendran informed the press. He said it was unfortunate the residents had to overcome so many obstacles before their grievances were heard.

Tian Chua said this was a partial victory for the residents and the developer needed to come up with an amicable settlement.

Lim highlighted that Salleh declined to provide minutes of the meeting or a written agreement on the issue. “He said that he could only do this much at his level and if orders came from ‘above’ he would have to change it,” added Lim.

Later, during a press conference with members of the media, Salleh confirmed DBKL’s decision to cancel the demolition orders that were to take place tomorrow. He said the local authority would wait for a court order once both parties had settled their differences. “I feel that their requests are valid; they have requested that we allow them to continue discussions with the developer and we have agreed,” he said. When asked about the use of the Emergency Ordinance, Salleh said it was stated in the ordinance that developers could request the local council’s assistance for a fee.

Related news: DBKL grants Batu Estate residents reprieve http://komunitikini.com/kl-selangor

Fathers of murdered youths send memo

Source: http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=58148 (By Charles Ramendran, 28/2/2011)

The fathers of three youths who were murdered in Masjid Tanah, Malacca on Jan 25 turned up at the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters today to hand over a memorandum citing their dissatisfaction over investigations into the case. Businessman Chong Kim Siak, 52, painter Lan Soon Hing, 49 and former livestock farmer Tai Keng Teng, 56 questioned how police could consider the case solved when they had only nabbed one suspect – a 16-year-old teenager who is expected to be charged on March 2.

Accompanied by Kota Melaka MP Sim Tong Him, Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, the men, who arrived Bukit Aman at 11am, said they are baffled as to how a 16-year-old boy could singlehandedly commit triple murder.

"They want Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar to intervene and re-open the case. Malacca police have told them that the case will not be pursued further unless there are new leads. "The fathers of the victims want to know why police released the other nine suspects who were apparently at the crime scene on the day, and who were later arrested. The police have not given a reasonable explanation to the victims' families," said Sim.

Chong Say Keong, 17, Lan Ee Shen, 19 and Tai Shi Yong, 18 were found dead next to their motorcycles with stab wounds on Jan 23 at Kampung Binjai, Masjid Tanah. They were apparently set upon by a group of youths after an argument. The memorandum was received by police media centre deputy head DSP N. Venugopal, who assured the victims fathers that he will pass it on to the IGP.