I WISH to highlight my objections to the proposed building of a 19-storey service apartment with 400 units in Section 17, Petaling Jaya.

The vacant plot is now leased out and operated as a car park. Next to the car park is the Section 17 morning market.

I am sure many residents of Section 17 would also disagree with development plans that are detrimental to the surrounding neighbourhood and add to the congested traffic woes of this area.

On a normal weekday, the Sentosa square is packed with cars because it has a commercial bank, 10 eating outlets, sundry shops, clinics, restaurants and many other businesses. During weekends this place is even busier as the weekend market draws a lot more people to the market and residents have to bear with a lot of vehicles that double park indiscriminately.

And with the building of any apartment or condominium there would always be cars of visitors or tenants that park outside the building even if the proposed service apartments have a car park. I cannot imagine the chaos in this quiet area as such vehicles would clog up this peaceful place.

I  urge MBPJ (Petaling Jaya City Council) to reconsider such development plans as this peaceful residential area, one of the oldest in PJ, does not need it. I would encourage all residents to oppose this development plan as MBPJ would have an open discussion on the proposed development at 10am today in the Bilik Gerakan, MBPJ building, Jalan Yong Shook Lin.

I am saddened with the change that PJ is undergoing because any development in the name of progress will have repercussions as the victims of progress are always the rakyat who have to bear with lightning fast policy changes and  development plans that are approved overnight but the consequences on the environment, society and nation would be felt for a long time.

Source: The Sun – July 15, 2010