Condo folk hold peaceful protest

Malay Mail 21/11/2003

THE Desa Kiara Owners and Residents Association (DKORA) carried out a peaceful protest over the proposed graveyard at Jalan Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, adjacent to their condominium.

Some 35 placards written -in English and Malay, carrying slogans among others like "Pak Lah we can count on you to help us; Where is the respect for the living; Bury the dead elsewhere, but not here; We say no to graveyard and Do you care for us."

Some 200 residents gathered at the leisure pool of the condominium holding placards.

The on-going ground-breaking ceremony for the grave-yard formed the backdrop to the protest.

DKORA chairman Michael M.F. Yong said the protest was to seek a dialogue with the authorities, especially Kuala Lumpur Datuk Bandar Datuk Mohmad Shaid Mohd Taufek and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

"We want the public and the higher ups to know our plight and want the construction of the graveyard stopped immediately," said Yong at a brief-ing attended by both the residents and the media.

He said the association last Monday wrote to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi seeking his intervention.

Similar letters have already been submitted to the Datuk Bandar, Segambut MP Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong who is also the Land and Co-operative Development deputy minister, Tengku Adnan and Housing Local Goverment Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting.

Yong said according to a four-year study by the University of Technology, Sydney, on the graveyard impact on the environment by environmental scientists and hydro geologists, it was found that decaying bodies in grave-yards do produce a nutrient plume.

This can be safely classified as "deadly pollution".

"Hence, there is the potential risk from microbiological contaminants, including viruses, bacteria and pathogens leaching into the ground water as well as airborne contaminants," he said.

"Almost all graveyards have some potential for pollution," he added.
It was reported in The Malay Mail on Wednesday that the residents are against the idea of having a cemetery right on their doorstep.

The 2,500 residents are now asking City hall to find other site for the graveyard as the condominiums are separated from the proposed cemetery by just a monsoon drain.

Banners and signboards announcing the graveyard were only and erected 11 days after the five-hectare area was cleared of vegetation, on Nov 5, residents said.

While not against the government and development, the residents felt that a cemetery right at their doorstep is just not right, for health, psychological and economic reasons.

The residents also claimed the project was shrouded in secrecy and the local council ought to have informed them about it earlier.