Developer Sportizza Sdn Bhd has been ordered to halt the construction of a sports complex in flood-prone Taman Mesra in Shah Alam, Selangor.
The development was found to have commenced without obtaining permission from the local council.
Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) planning director Aniza Osman said Sportizza was only granted a site clean-up permit, not permission for development.
In a dialogue session with concerned Taman Mesra residents today, Aniza said the developer was ordered to immediately stop all development after it had already built an above-ground drain at the housing area (above).
The site in question involves lots 45, 46, 57, 58, 59, and 63 in Seksyen U1, Shah Alam.
“The site clean-up permit that we granted states clearly that it does not allow the commencement of any construction. The developer will need a planning permission for that.
”What we granted was to ensure that the land that’s being cleaned up is owned by the developer and that it stays within the land owned.
“So, in this case, the developer is in the wrong,” Aniza said.
Also present at the dialogue were Seri Setia assemblyperson Halimey Abu Bakar, Sportizza representatives, and representatives from the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Selangor.
Sportizza spokesperson Ken Tain admitted to his company’s mistakes and expressed his apologies for misunderstanding the permit that was granted to them.
Tain said his company will obey MBSA’s instructions and halt construction immediately.
“After site-cleaning, we want to prevent flood in our (construction) area and in Taman Mesra.
“We then followed the engineer’s specification and study to install the OSD drain.
“Our main direction is to prevent the area from flooding. We hope you understand,” Tain said.
Turning the taman into a pond
This comes after complaints lodged by Taman Mesra residents that Sportizza’s project could worsen flooding in the residential area.
Taman Mesra Residents Association chairperson Wan Mohd Zaki Wan Daud lodged an official report to the MBSA on the developer’s misconduct.
Speaking to Malaysiakini, Zaki, 59, also raised concerns that the above-ground drain caused the housing area to be surrounded, effectively turning Taman Mesra into a pond.
“Taman Mesra is essentially turned into a retention pond.
“What we want is for MBSA to demolish the drain as soon as possible.
“If this issue is not resolved, it will cause the flood water level to possibly rise up to 20 feet high,” the IT salesperson told Malaysiakini today.
The resident association’s deputy chairperson Indra Denesh proposed for a retention pond to be built in the area rather than turning Taman Mesra into one that may put the residents’ lives at risk when the neighbourhood is hit by a flood.
Remembering that today marks one year since the December 2021 deluge that paralysed parts of Selangor, Indra said residents in Taman Mesra are still traumatised by the ordeal.
“It is a bit worrying for us whenever there is a heavy downpour from time to time.
“A six-foot tall drainage is worrying. And suddenly MBSA gives a work stop order just like that and asks the developer to evacuate without any action or detailing how long it would take the relevant parties to act accordingly,” he said.
The 42-year-old programmer urged the authorities to nip this issue in the bud to prevent other similar problems from appearing.
“MBSA and DID or other relevant agencies should be monitoring and studying to overcome future problems and not only take action when they receive complaints from residents.
“We really don’t want last year’s disaster to happen again.” - Mkini
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