MPSJ to start clamping vehicles in commercial areas

By TAN KARR WEI 
karrwei@thestar.com.my

THE Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) will start clamping illegally parked cars at four commercial areas starting Monday.

MPSJ president Datuk Asmawi Kasbi said that they currently have 12 clamps and will start the operation at SS15, SS16, USJ9 and USJ10 Taipan because of the rampant illegal parking in these places.

“Cars which double-park or park illegally along the yellow line at the main entrances into the commercial area will be clamped. For cars illegally parked within the commercial areas, we will continue using the lock summons on side mirrors,” Asmawi told reporters after the monthly full board meeting at the MPSJ headquarters.

Practical move: Asmawi (right) being shown how the car clamp works.

Cars that were not moved within four hours of being clamped will be towed. Car owners have to pay a compound of RM80 if their cars are clamped and from RM170 to RM230, depending on the offence, if their cars are towed.

“We will have officers stationed at the area but owners have to pay their compounds at the MPSJ headquarters before they can collect their car,” he said.

The council is currently leasing six tow trucks and Asmawi said that they were currently looking into purchasing two trucks.

“We will be putting out a tender for the two vehicles and we expect to purchase them by August. We will also look into purchasing more clamps if the need arises,” he said.

For now, Asmawi said it was more cost-efficient to clamp illegally parked cars than to tow them.

“We pay a fee of RM80 to the contractors for each car towed,” he said.

Meanwhile, the full board has endorsed the proposal to have residents monitor and endorse the services of rubbish contractors before the council issues payment to the contractors.

Councillor Chang Kim Loong said that they will start out the pilot project in his zone, mainly in the Bandar Puteri and Taman Wawasan area.

“This will only involve residents’ associations, joint management bodies and management corporations who want to participate in this.

“They will submit names of the authorised representative that would sign off on a log book after they assess the services of their contractor,” he said.

Chang said that they would be trying out the system to see if it works and identify the most practical approach for other MPSJ areas.

Pied-pipers of Subang Jaya

THE Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) managed to catch 21 rats in the SS15 commercial area last Saturday.

Some 20 residents joined the rat extermination programme and walked through the area in search of the rodents.

Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh said the first two operations carried out in March this year saw 56 rats caught while 410 were exterminated in the same programme last year.

“I urge restaurant owners and business operators in the commercial area to keep their premises clean to rid the area of rats,” she said.

Get ‘em all: SS15 residents participating in the rat-catching programme.

She lauded the SS15 JKKK for joining MPSJ’s efforts in the programme.

There will be another round of the programme at the commercial area in Taipan and Sunway Metro, Subang Jaya.

MPSJ health department assistant director Dr Siti Suzana Selamat said the number of rats caught was dwindling.

She said the rat-infested business areas in Subang Jaya were being monitored.

MPSJ councillor Rajiv Rishyakaran also joined in the rat-catching effort.

Together with 3 of my colleagues, I was recently sworn in for my 3rd term as a MPSJ Councillor. I will moving from Zone 3 (USJ2-15) after 2 terms (2 years, 8 months) there, and will be representing Zone 1 (SS12-SS19).  

Group sworn in as MPSJ councillors three months after initial batch

By TAN KARR WEI
karrwei@thestar.com.my
Photo by S.S. KANESAN

FOUR more Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) councillors were sworn in yesterday, three months after the first group of 19 were named. This leaves only one more councillor (from PKR) to be sworn in to complete the list.
DAP’s Michael Noel Jalleh, 53, was the new face in the council, taking over from Robert Tan who decided not to renew his term for personal reasons.
Jalleh, who currently resides in Sri Petaling, has more than 10 years experience working in the advertising industry and is currently involved with a non-profit organisation called Malaysian Care.
“We carry out a lot of rural and urban community development work and this has prepared me to serve the people in Subang Jaya.

Part of a team: Asmawi congratulating Cheah after the swearing-in ceremony as (from left) Jalleh, Loka and Rajiv look on.

“I will be concentrating on the needs of the poor in my zone.
“Since this is my first term as a councillor, I will also be looking to my fellow councillors for guidance,” said Jalleh.
MPSJ president Datuk Asmawi Kasbi said the zones for the councillors and the various council committees would only be finalised during the next full board meeting at the end of the month, but added that most of the councillors already knew their zones.
“I will look after the Bandar Kinrara area and will be working closely with assemblyman Teresa Kok,” said Jalleh, who is a member of the OUG DAP branch in Seputeh.
After much fiasco about the dropping of several councillors from the previous term, Rajiv Risyakaran (DAP) and Loka Ng Sai Kai (NGO) were reappointed, together with Cheah Sang Soon of PKR.
Rajiv said he would now be taking care of Zone 1 (SS12 to SS19 areas).
He swapped with Dr Loi Kheng Min who will be in charge of Zone 3 (USJ 2 to USJ 15).
Asmawi said the appointment of the remaining councillor would be up to the state government and it would still be business as usual at the council without the councillor.
Several other PKR councillors said they were not sure who would be appointed to fill the place or when it would be announced.

Subang Jaya exit should remain as two lanes, says Yeoh

THO XIN YI at the Selangor state assembly

On the 13^th of February, with much fanfare, MPSJ launch the drafts for the MPSJ local plan amendments. For those who are not familiar, the local plan is the ultimate town planning document, detailing out what can and cannot be built on each and every parcel of land in Subang Jaya. The plan was first mooted in 2007, and had come into force in March 2010.

We often hear complaints of overdevelopment, and the lack of consultation between the government and residents with regards to new development permission being granted. Some of feel that Subang Jaya is already overdeveloped. Others may feel that it can do with more development, or maybe requires more of a specific kind of development.

Whatever your views are, I think it’ll be good for all of us to take a look at the amendments and share our feedback, especially if they are any objections. For the first time, the document is available online, downloadable from MPSJ’s website. Previously, you would have to go and buy a copy of the book.

Some key points, that I think all of us should be aware off, is

1. The proposal to increase the plot ratio (building density) from 4 to 6, for PJS9, PJS11, SS15, SS16, USJ1 and USJ21. While condition for plot ratio 6 is that they achieve “Gold Green Building” status, I must note that no amount of green building will ease the possible 50% increase in traffic volume that will arise from these developments. In order to propose an increase of plot ratio, MPSJ should conduct comprehensive traffic studies and produce an infrastructure upgrading plan on how it will cope. In fact, if at all MPSJ will allow increase of plot ratio, it should be within the 250m to 500m radius from each LRT station, not in areas like Sunway, that is already super congested and far from any LRT station.

2. The conversion of selected industrial lots in SS13 and USJ1 into commercial lots. I personally believe in time, we will phase out the industrial areas in Subang Jaya, due to rising land prices and changes in the economy position. However, random conversions, without putting in place the right supporting infrastructure are just going to breed congestion. Both USJ1 and SS13 are old areas, which should be redesigned properly before allowing commercial redevelopment. Note, once you redevelop, putting in place the infrastructure after that is not easy, and not cheap.

3. Currently day care operations are not permitted in commercial premises. I personally feel that it should be allowed. Having day care centers near offices, shopping areas, or commercial districts will ease the chance or parents dropping and picking the kids before and after work, as well, as possibility visiting the kids during lunch or other breaks. This will also reduce the problem of objection from neighboring houses which day care centers currently all operate from.

These are just among the few items, I’m sure each of us will have different opinions. But regardless of what your opinion is, this is your chance, as a resident of Subang Jaya, to official record your views. Your objections/support for any of the proposed changes can make a difference. Let us not waste this opportunity to engage MPSJ.

Many ambitious targets have been set for the Economic Transformation Program (ETP). RM1.4 trillion in investments, 3.3 million new jobs, RM48,000 GNI per capita, 131 Entry Point Projects and 60 Business Opportunities.

Many big headline numbers have been touted in the ETP Updates. RM177 billion in committed investments. 389,000 new jobs. 114 Entry Point Projects announced. The incorporation of the Strategic Reform Initiatives (SRIs).

Is the ETP as transformative as the headline figures indicate? Is it playing an instrumental role in lifting the country out of its middle income trap? Or is the ETP merely a very slick and professional marketing exercise which masks the business-as-usual government-knows-best approach to managing the economy?

All these questions and more will be answered in a public forum organised by the DAP Malaysa on "PEMANDU & the ETP: Transformative, or business as usual?" on:

Date: Wednesday, 7^th of March, 2012
Time: 8pm
Venue: Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH), Jalan Maharajalela, Kuala Lumpur

The speakers will consist of Pakatan Rakyat elected representatives YB Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad (PAS MP for Kuala Selangor) and YB Liew Chin Tong (DAP MP for Bukit Bendera); strategists and researchers, Razifi Ramli (PKR) and Teh Chi-Chang (Executive Director, Refsa)

The entrance to the forum is free and all who have any interest in or questions on to the ETP are welcome.

For further enquiries, please email: im.ok.man@gmail.com