Ass Neighbours

I would like to respond to Cheah from Klang, whose letter “G-and-G should not burden residents” (see link at end of story) was published in StarMetro on May 27.

I live in the same neighbourhood as Cheah in Bandar Bukit Tinggi 2 but share a very different point of view. When we moved to this neighbourhood, it was neither gated nor guarded. Access to and from our homes was far easier before the G-and-G system was implemented.

What used to be a short walk to the shops for some of us now requires driving because of the fencing. Despite anticipating inconveniences, the majority of the residents decided to fence up the neighbourhood as we could no longer take the sleepless nights worrying about our houses being broken into. We also had enough seeing the children’s playground littered with broken alcohol bottles each morning.

A residents association (RA) was formed and a series of meetings was held among us and with the authorities, including the police and the Klang Municipal Council (MPK). Therefore, Cheah’s suggestion that the G-and-G was set up without approval is unfounded. The initiative to gate and guard the neighbourhood was fully funded by the majority of residents.

Cheah and others in the neighbourhood who refused to pay for security services, were asked to use a different lane as they did not have the security tags needed to open the boom gates. Since the G-and-G was set up there were no break-ins, and the parks were in better shape.

But fears of robbers and vandals have now been replaced with fear of neighbours. Cheah seems to suggest that those who do not subscribe to the G-and-G are victims of a heavy-handed residents’ committee.

There have been numerous CCTV footage showing non-paying residents damaging the boom gates, as they insist on using the access lanes that require security tags. They also verbally abuse the guards and block the access roads with their cars during peak hours.

The RA was forced to lodge police reports against these neighbours. The rest of us will most likely have to pay the security fees for the sake of our families’ safety. I strongly feel this problem can only be resolved if MPK is decisive. It appears to want to please people on both sides of the issue.

While it has given permission for the fences to be put up, the local council also appears to tie the hands of the RA by expecting the committee to give in to the disgruntled residents, who are damaging property and making life for the majority of residents very unpleasant.

I urge the authorities to consider the fact that the fencing exercise was carried out legally. A majority of the residents supported the decisions of the democratically elected RA committee. We are paying for our own security, allowing the police to focus on criminal activities beyond our neighbourhood.

Do not allow the minority to take away our right to peace of mind. They are behaving this way assuming that the local authorities are not going to act against their unruly behaviour. Allow the RA to set rules for access into our neighbourhood and encourage the minority to engage in a proper dialogue.

Source: Paying Neighbour