Council lawyers reviewing lost case
The Star 26/10/2005

PETALING JAYA: Lawyers of the municipal council here (MPPJ) are reviewing the Taman Desaria case that it lost at the Shah Alam High Court on Monday.

Council officials are tight-lipped about their next course of action but it is learnt that the MPPJ legal department as well as the Selangor state legal department are reviewing the case.

Residents of Taman Desaria had originally filed a suit against the municipal council and developer Mentari Properties Sdn Bhd to stop the development of low cost flats in the area in 2003.

However, the development continued and was completed late last year.

The 84 residents, however, proceeded with the lawsuit, to make it a precedent case.

Following this, the Shah Alam High Court on Monday ruled that the development order issued by MPPJ to Mentari Properties was null and void.

Judge Datuk Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin said local authorities should hear views of affected residents before a development order is issued.

“The ruling came at a good time and this is a very good precedent case,” said resident Amy Lee.

“There are lots of other cases being reported where councils are forcing unwanted development and projects on residents,” she said.