Subang Jaya volunteer patrol unit turns one

Subang Jaya volunteer patrol unit turns one

A potluck was held at one of the VPU volunteer’s house to celebrate the occasion.
Volunteers took the opportunity to reflect upon the establishment of the VPU and to exchange their experiences during their patrolling rounds.
Voluntary Patrol Unit (VPU) volunteers posing for a group photo
“With the persistent patrolling by VPU, it is hoped that crime rate will drop and USJ will be a safer place for all,” said Zainal, a volunteer who helped to apprehend a snatch thief at USJ 2.
“The VPU has also helped to create awareness among residents on the need to work together with the police to combat crime.”
A new female volunteer, Faye, said she would join the next VPU patrolling after getting to know how VPU operates to deter crime in housing areas.
VPU co-founder Mak Meng Chin expressed hope that the VPU would gain momentum from year to year, and that more residents would come on board and participate in the joint patrol sessions with the police for the community’s safety.
The VPU was formed by Mak, a USJ 11 resident, and Subang Jaya municipal councillor Rajiv Rishyakaran in December 2009.
Together with the police, the unit will patrol Subang Jaya and USJ from 9am to 5pm on weekdays in two-hour shifts.
Those who are interested in joining the VPU to patrol can contact Mak at 012-383 6508 or mcmak64@hotmail.com.

Speaking up - Concerns of more development along Persiaran Kewajipan

Subang project scrutiny

Thursday, January 27th, 2011 13:14:00

Subang Jaya
CHOKING POINT: Road users have to face massive traffic congestion at Jalan Kewajipan everyday
SUBANG JAYA: The proposed service apartments and office suites development on a 1.6ha land next to The Summit mall along Jalan Kewajipan here has come under fire due to concerns about it further to traffic congestion.
During the Subang Jaya Municipal Council full board meeting yesterday, councillor Rajiv Rishyakaran said: "I'm not objecting to the development, but i am concerned about the future impact of the project."
Noting traffic congestion along Jalan Kewajipan has been a problem for residents and the authorities for years, he said: "The council should find a way to solve traffic issues first before proceeding to fully approve the proposal."
While he acknowledged the proposal had been preapproved with certain terms, the councillor said even if the  developer had agreed to the terms, it does not guarantee the traffic issue in the area would be resolved.
Council president Datuk Adnan Md ikshan had said the approval process had a long way to go and there were at least another six layers of approval needed before construction works could begin.
"Yes, the proposal was preapproved and we had set some terms which the developer has to adhere to. So far, the developer has not responded to the terms and we do not know for sure whether they will proceed with the project."
Subang Jaya Resident's Association president A.S. gill said: "Any development anywhere has to be  sustainable. The ratio of two hectares for every one thousand residents should be adhered to.
"I think they should stop pre-approving all plans until they have carefully studied the impact of the proposal towards traffic congestion plus environmental impact and social impact to the area."
Instead of worrying about developing new areas, gill said the council should tackle existing issues which residents have to deal with daily.

Wishing all Malaysians a Happy, Prosperous and Purposeful Chinese New Year!

Wishing all Malaysians a Happy, Prosperous and Purposeful Chinese New Year!



Make public names of blacklisted developers

My article that appeared in TheStar last Friday...

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THE Housing and Local Government Ministry can and should do more for potential house buyers, rather than just caution them to be extra careful (“RM220k ceiling for full loans stays” – The Star, Jan 14).
The first thing it can easily do is put up on its website the list of blacklisted property developers. It can also go a step further, and list all developers and housing projects for which the Housing Developer Licence and Sales permit has been approved.
That will make it easier for potential buyers to ascertain if a particular development has the necessary approvals to take off, and also reduces the risk of buying a house in a project that may potentially be abandoned.
Another measure the ministry can take is to ensure that any change to the project, including to the building plan, must get the buyers’ consent.
There have been cases where the developer applied to the local council to modify the building plan, and the buyers were in the dark until they received the keys to their homes.
It is only natural that they feel cheated, and often there is not much recourse for them as the sale and purchase agreement often allows the developer to make such changes with the consent of the local council.
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