Residents threaten street protests
23/06/2008 NST By Sheila Sri Priya
Bukit Beruntung Residents' Association president Augustin Maria Dasan (left)
and Hulu Selangor District Council president Tukiman Nail at the meeting.
BUKIT BERUNTUNG: While they have seen some improvement, the residents
here blasted the Hulu Selangor District Council for not tackling many of
their major complaints.
During a meeting with the council, the president of the residents
association said they might take to the streets if their grouses were not
looked into.
Augustin Maria Dasan chaired the meeting with council president Tukiman
Nail.
Dasan began gently by saying: "We would like to thank the Bukit Beruntung
police station for their quick action in shutting down the illegal scrap
metal shops in our area and the council for cutting the grass on some of the
road dividers. We would also like to congratulate Indah Water Konsortium for
working on the septic tank problem."
Then he criticised the council over the poor condition of the roads, saying
that the numerous pot-holes could be deadly.
The response from the Hulu Selangor Roads Department representative failed
to sooth tempers.
He said the matter was not critical, and it would be attended to soon.
"They don't use these roads. They do not live here. Many accidents have
taken place. The roads are bumpy. Even if you slow down, the impact is great
because of the uneven surface. Our car suspension systems wear out fast.
Aren't we paying taxes ? Why can't we have safer roads?" said Dasan.
District health director Dr Cheong Beck Koon said his team was trying curb
the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes.
He said they faced an uphill task because many of the roofs of the flats
were broken, creating ideal breeding grounds.
"We can fog areas that are accessible, but sometimes our men put their lives
in danger climbing on the rooftops to fog," he said.
"And if there is an outbreak in the city, the people here are also affected
because many travel there daily."
He also addressed concerns over water safety, saying that samples were
tested from time to time and they have been found to be up to health
standards.
Tukiman appealed to the residents to be patient.
"We are working on these problems in stages. I appeal to the residents to be
patient."
But the residents' patience is wearing thin.
"We have waited for many years, and if matters aren't resolved, we will hold
street demonstrations to make the authorities understand our sufferings.
Most of us have invested our retirement funds in houses here and we feel
cheated.
"The lack of maintenance has caused property value to depreciate," said
Dasan. |