Serve people is our top priority

Do you aware about the news about the housing issue at Sentul? Well, it has been quite an issue when the developer did something rude.

Here's the news article.

Saturday February 13, 2010

Developer under fire

By BAVANI M and PRIYA MENON
metro@thestar.com.my

FEDERAL Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin has lashed out at YTL Land and Development Bhd for snubbing his deputy, Datuk M. Saravanan, whom he tasked with resolving the housing problems of the poor in Sentul.

“What they did is rude,’’ Nong Chik told StarMetro.

Nong Chik was responding to a report in a local daily that YTL preferred to discuss the matter (housing issue) with the FT Minister instead.

“He (Saravanan) has been delegated the job and he has my full support. They (YTL) can come and see me if they want, but to say they no longer want to deal with Saravanan on the matter is disrespectful.

“We are all here to do a job — and that is to serve the people. It is our top priority,” Nong Chik added.

At a meeting with Kg Railway residents on Wednesday, Saravanan said he felt betrayed after the developers of Kampung Railway, Sentul Raya Sdn Bhd (SRSB) sent a message stating that no future proceedings would be conducted with his department with regard to Kampung Railway in Sentul. SRSB is a sister company of YTL.

“I received an SMS stating they would deal only with FT Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin even after I’d stopped a second rally by the Kampung Railway residents because they (developer) agreed to settle matters,” he added.

Saravanan claimed SRSB was buying time to delay the building of the promised low-cost units.

Saravanan said during his meeting with residents in Bandar Baru on Jan 10, the residents had said they would hold monthly protests if the developer did not build the homes.

They had held a protest in December 2009 in front of the YTL office in Jalan Bukit Bintang.

“I cannot stop these people any more. I did it the last time and now they are holding me responsible for it,” Saravanan said.

He also said the problem was not political but concerned the promise made to the poor people 16 years ago when the Sentul Raya developer agreed to build 2,448 low-cost units for the former Keretaapi Tanah Melayu (KTMB) workers.

SRSB took over the project after the original developer, Taiping Consolidated, failed to complete it.

“Our stand is clear: the developer has to build the low-cost units in the Batu area. If they think I am with the people, they should realise the minister is, too,” he added.

During the meeting, residents also questioned SRSB’s failure to meet and discuss the problem with them. They also wanted the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to look into the hygiene problem in the area.

“Rubbish is strewn everywhere while the cement washed out from the factory in the area flows to our homes.

“Our standard of living has dropped drastically. The DBKL came but nothing has happened,” village head Darshan Singh said.

Saravanan, in response, said he would send officers from all relevant departments, including the Health Department, to check on the matter.

“I will also ask them to determine the suitability of a cement factory in Kampung Railway as there are housing areas, schools and a house of worship there,” he added.

The residents also asked the DBKL not to issue the Development Order (DO) for the D7 commercial project until the problem was solved, but Saravanan said he would have to check to make sure such action was not against the law.

Source: the star