Kepong residents angry over proposed skyscraper

 

Residents of Jalan Seri Bintang, Kepong, protesting against the proposed 37-storey apartment building.

PETALING JAYA: Residents of Jalan Seri Bintang, Kepong, near here are angry over a proposed plan by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to build a 37-storey apartment building in their area.

Sinar Bintang Safety and Welfare Association chairman Deric Teh said the condominium block would be built on a steep hill slope.

“Our biggest concern is the high-density project on this steep slope will cause a landslide and affect the residents in surrounding areas, especially those in Taman Bayu Sri Bintang and The Mansion Desa Park City,” he said.

Teh said according to the KL City Plan 2020, land use zoning in the residential area was only for 48 people per acre in terms of population density.

With the development of the apartment, the density would be increased to 800 people per acre, exceeding what was permitted.

Teh said this was too high for the current neigbourhood infrastructure and its surrounding areas.

Another view of the residents protesting against the proposed skyscraper in their midst.

He said this skyscraper would also increase dust and noise pollution from the construction site, affecting the surrounding neighbourhood.

“We do not prohibit developers or landowners from developing their land but the development of a 37-storey building, with 431 apartments, is not suitable.

“Terrace houses will be more suitable for the population density that has been gazetted for this piece of land.”

Teh also said the existing roads were already congested with high traffic flow and the proposed development would worsen the situation.

Sinar Bintang Safety and Welfare Association chairman Deric Teh.

He said heavy vehicles coming in and out of the proposed site to transport goods would also endanger the people in the neighbourhood.

Wong Yoon Fah, a resident there for eight years, feared the blasting of granite from the construction work would cause cracks in the walls of nearby houses.

Resident Angie Lao said she was outraged by this proposed development as this would disrupt the ecosystem, adding that Jalan Seri Bintang was popular with hikers and joggers.

“My only concern is climate change and this development will further destroy the ecosystem and whatever greenery there is,” she said.

Teh said 500 signatures had been collected from 15 organisations to stop this development project.

“We hope DBKL takes this issue seriously and reviews this project. We also want DBKL and related parties to conduct a geotechnical investigation as to the safety of constructing the apartment block on the steep slope and make these reports public” he said. - FMT