Story by SHEILA SRI PRIYA
AFTER our wedding in 2008, my husband and I began scouting around for a house to buy in order to start a family.
The economy was good then and the properties were much more affordable compared to now.
Back then, most middle-income earners could actually own a decent property in the Greater Klang Valley.
I wanted our house to be somewhere near an LRT station, preschools, primary and secondary schools with a good track record, hospitals and clinics, fields with public recreational facilities, market, places of worship, malls – I wanted it all.
My friends then said I was crazy to dream of such a place.
A&W is an iconic feature of Section 52.
However, I found all that I was looking for in Section 52, Petaling Jaya. It was the first property my husband and I visited and we liked what the neighbourhood had to offer.
Although my husband was more keen to live in newer townships such as Kota Damansara or Kota Kemuning, Section 52, won my heart as I saw the potential here.
I also wanted to live in a more settled residential area.
My neighbourhood borders Kuala Lumpur and the Federal Highway is just metres away from my home.
Interestingly, Section 52 is located inside a loop. This loop made history when the two-way road system became the now One Way Loop (OWL) on Oct 12 last year. It is still a nightmare. Although the traffic flow became smoother since OWL was implemented, our safety is jeopardised each time we are on the loop.
Since the road medians were removed, we have to switch six or seven lanes at several locations to get to our destination.
However I am optimistic that once the loop is ready, we will have nice cycling lanes and walkways.
Residents still do not know how the final loop would look once it is completed in August next year. It is still a guessing game.
My neighbours’ biggest fear was the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex).
Residents were not prepared to have an elevated highway over their existing neighbourhood roads.
Residents heaved a sigh of relief when the project was scrapped by Selangor Mentri Besar Azmin Ali early this year.
I must admit that the question remains at the back of every property owner’s mind – will Kidex ever make a comeback?
Speaking of recreational facilities, the Astaka field is located in this section. This large patch of green could do better with more love from the authorities.
Astaka field has undergone some major facelift. However the park facilities are far from satisfactory.
The field is infested with mosquitoes and the public toilet has been out of order for two years, yet these complaints too have fallen on deaf ears.
Most residents love the field and want it to be well-maintained not just on occasions when the mayor makes a site visit.
A seven-minute drive on a weekend from my neighbourhood would lead you to Bukit Gasing. This great hiking trail has an abundance of flora and fauna.
However, this hill also encroaches into Kuala Lumpur. We, Petaling Jaya residents, selfishly wish for the KL side to remain green. Too much to ask for? I don’t think so.
Taman Jaya is another great recreational spot I go to with my fouryear old. She loves the children’s playground.
The only drawback is the lake attracts crows. The council has plans to upgrade this park and include cycling lanes. I am looking forward to the implementation.
Another popular sports field is Dataran Petaling Jaya in Jalan Timur.
Amcorp Mall is an older established mall which is also located in Section 52. People head there for the flea market bargains on weekends but I go there for BookXcess.
Books at affordable prices sold in Book Xcess, Amcorp Mall.
I love shopping here as brand new books for children, teens and adults are marked down by 80% off the original price.
Yes, this bookstore is the organiser of the much anticipated annual Big Bad Wolf sale. I picked up the reading habit once again thanks to the affordable reading materials sold here.
Fast food joints are plenty in Section 52 and its neighbouring areas but the iconic one is the A&W restaurant in Lorong Sultan.
There are also many other eateries ranging from food courts to upscale restaurants.
For local Chinese food such as popiah, chicken rice and curry mee, I go to Petaling Jaya New Town.
I particularly like the toasted bread and curry mee sold at Kam Heong restaurant which is located on the same row as the Strawberry Fields Cafe in Jalan Tengah.
As for halal food, I like going to Restaurant Al-Berkat Curry House in Jalan Bukit 11/2 close to my neighbourhood. I go there for breakfast. They offer decent fare at affordable prices and their service is better compared to some famous restaurants in Petaling Jaya which I shall not name.
As for entertainment, I head to the newly-opened TGV Cinemas in Jaya Shopping Centre, Section 14.
The neighbourhood mall – Jaya Shopping Centre.
The University Malaya Medical Centre is just a five-minutes drive from my home.
Although, this semi-government hospital is technically located in Kuala Lumpur, it is visited more by Petaling Jaya folk. I gave birth to my children here.
Another private hospital close to my neighbourhood is Assunta Hospital in Petaling Jaya Old Town.
Other upcoming development projects include Petaling Jaya Sentral.
Both my husband and I hope this neighbourhood will continue to be a good place for our children to live in the years to come.
