BY WONG PEK MEI

The residents of Jinjang Utara Tambahan objecting to commercial projects on land reserved for schools.

Residents, teachers and parents in Jinjang Utara Tambahan are objecting to a project to build a showroom and food court at a land reserved for schools.

Kepong Gerakan parliamentary coordinator Ong Siang Liang said a construction company handed a letter dated April 28, to notify residents staying on the 2,367sq m plot that it had been given tenancy of the land.

The letter stated that the company would be renting the land for three years from Nov 1 this year to Oct 31, 2020.

Four families are currently occupying the land.

Ong urged Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the land office to consider the interest of the residents and students at SMK Jinjang, which is located next to the land.

“There will be increased traffic, noise pollution and parking issues,” he said.

“I will be sending a letter to the land office and DBKL highlighting this matter,” he added.

Low Ang Liong, 58, who is representing the families living in the house sitting on the land, said they had been paying assessment tax since 1993.

“We had already paid for the first half of this year,” he said.

SMK Jinjang Parent-Teacher Association chairman How Ken Kon said they objected to any project that did not benefit the schoolchildren.

“The welfare of the students and schooling environment must be considered before the local authorities permit any commercial project.

“This school produces brilliant students, and we are concerned by this development.

“Traffic here is already a problem as the roads surrounding this area are narrow. It will become worse if this project is allowed,” he said.

He added that the school might need to expand in the future, as many children staying in this area had to enroll in schools elsewhere because of the current lack of space.