If Ismail is serious about parks, rein in the developers

 

In March, Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that he wanted Malaysia’s cities ‘to have a public park with the concept of a Federal Park, and to increase people’s access to landscaped areas’.

In our rush to develop our cities and house its occupants, many urban areas in Malaysia neglected to build green lungs in town and city centres.

When he was in New York last week to attend the United Nations general assembly, Ismail went for a walk in Central Park. He said he was amazed that the 832-acre park in the middle of the city was well maintained and preserved.

Inspired by what he’d seen, the prime minister vowed to propose that similar parks be developed in Malaysia..

-ADVERTISEMENT-

Ads by 

The hundreds of thousands of Malaysians who had the privilege to study overseas, especially in the West, will be familiar with parks in cities and major towns, which its inhabitants enjoy throughout the year, even during winter.

There are early morning runners, and smaller groups of elderly people practising yoga or meditation, or less strenuous physical activity. There are dog walkers. There are young children who play safely in fenced-off areas complete with swings and playground facilities. In some parks, there is a pebble path for reflexology, or large open areas where people can play football.

There are benches to sit on and watch people enjoying themselves, and in larger parks, there will be paths with lanes for cyclists and roller bladers.

Flowering shrubs, clumps of trees for shade, and perhaps a pond, add to the ambience of the parks, which are maintained by the city council, whose workers empty the litter bins, clear rubbish, tidy the greenery, water the plants and make sure that the park is safe for everyone.

At night, many parks in the West are shut, to discourage homeless people, drug users, and prostitutes soliciting for trade.

If Ismail is serious about the formation of more parks, he must stop developers from trying to convince city councillors that parks should be relocated outside the city or on the verges of the city. In other words, developers are eyeing the land for more construction projects.

In most cities, the park was formed before the city exploded in size, and buildings were built around it. Parks are a haven for nature lovers and sports enthusiasts, or for people who just want to unwind after work.

In Ipoh, the closest park to home is the old Ipoh polo ground. One will find tai chi classes, or people going for a walk along the perimeter, for their daily exercise. The school nearby also organises runs for their pupils in the park.

The problems are probably similar to the complaints of park users in other cities in Malaysia.

The common complaint is probably that the park is becoming too overcrowded. In the early morning, or in the evening, the roads leading to the park are jammed. As most Malaysian neighbourhoods lack green lungs, people travel long distances from housing estates simply to enjoy the park’s amenities.

Another common complaint is that many parks are becoming too commercial, with permits being issued to hawkers to sell their wares on mobile stalls.

Littering becomes a big issue, and residents who live nearby are worried about the infestation of rodents, because of the food waste in the bins. The irony is that the park, instead of being a place of exercise and quiet contemplation, will then become like a mini open air food court.

Another resident who lives close to the park said that she was worried about empty syringes left behind in the playground by groups of young men who frequent the park at night.

Ismail realises that parks can be well maintained, but he must rid the nation of the culture of corruption, and at the same time improve our maintenance capabilities.

Parks require a lot of maintenance, in addition to strict enforcement, regular patrols and good work management practices.

Will Ismail also look into the provision of parks and open spaces in new housing developments? Residents do not require huge acreages like Central Park or London’s Hyde Park. A smaller sized park to cater for a particular district should suffice.

Each major town or city should encourage greater interaction of its residents with regards to their specific park requirements. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.