Efforts by the government to provide additional burial ground in the city has hit a snag as the Kuala Lumpur City Hall has been unable to get two Alam Flora sub-contractors to move out of a piece of land next to the Christian cemetery in Cheras.
The land, which belonged to the Federal Territory Land and Mines Department (PTG), was given to City Hall many years ago to be utilised as they deemed fit, the StarMetro reported.
The two Alam Flora sub-contractors were allowed to use the land free of charge under a special special arrangement made by City Hall’s Landscape and Recreation Department in 2006, the StarMetro reported.
It was meant as a temporary measure until City Hall needed the land.
However, City Hall's efforts to get the two Alam Flora sub-contractors to move out so that the land could be used as a burial ground had proved unsuccessful.
According to a source from the Federal Territories Ministry contacted by the StarMetro, City Hall was unable to get the occupants to move out as they had "powerful friends" in the government.
"Two previous Kuala Lumpur mayors were not able to evict them; so I will not be surprised if the current mayor face similar challenges to get them to vacate the place," the report quoted the source as saying.
The contractors use the land to park their garbage trucks, equipment as well as for their workers' living quarters.
The Federal Territories Ministry had identified the plot of land next to the cemetery that could cater to another 1,000 burial plots.
The hoardings, which surround the area occupied by the contractors, had been marked by City Hall with a demolition date in 2014.
However, despite repeated notices by City Hall and FT Ministry, the Alam Flora subcontractors had refused to move out.
One of the sub-contractors occupying the land was Perusahaan Subar Sdn Bhd, reported the StarMetro.
Its director Subadron Abd Aziz told the StarMetro he was aware that he had overstayed, but defended himself by saying that: "Yes, I have been there long, but I am doing City Hall work only, I am not doing other things."
When asked if he would be moving out, Subadron said: "I know I have to go but I need another six months."
StarMetro's attempts to contact Adam Abdullah, who is the managing director of the other sub-contractor Adam Sanitary Services Sdn Bhd, proved futile.
A check with the Companies Commision of Malaysia (SSM) indicated that Adam Sanitary Services had been served a notice under section 308 (1) of the Companies Act 1965 to be struck off the company for being inactive.
Documents show that the first notice was dated April 29, 2013. A second notice was filed under section 308 (2) on Oct 31, 2014, the report said.
When contacted, Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Mhd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz told StarMetro that the contractors could not remain indefinitely.
"They cannot be there," he said, adding that "someone else gave the approval in 2006".
"I have to check the background of this issue. It involves Alam Flora which is under Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) now.
"I have to check who gave the approval," the report quoted him as saying.
The lack of burial space in Kuala Lumpur has become critical as the government-owned cemeteries are running out of space.
The situation is particularly grave at the 100-year-old Christian cemetery in Cheras where all 22,500 plots have been taken up.
Additional plots allocated in areas A and B, which was opened in 1996, has also been filled up.
The practice of pre-booking of burial plots had ceased since the year 2000.
- TMI
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.