SS18 residents association protem deputy chairman Ivan Chan said 25m of the walkway along SS 18/6, facing the field will be taken up by a telecommunications tower and four electrical panel boxes.
About 50 residents gathered at the field along Jalan SS18/4 in Subang Jaya yesterday to protest the proposed construction of a 30m-high telecommunications tower on a walkway along the open field.
SS18 residents lost a portion of their walkway along Jalan SS18/6 to the LRT and with the proposed tower, they may lose 25m off another portion of their walkway.
News of a proposed telecommunications tower came as a surprise to residents as they were only informed of a dialogue session with contractors and the Subang Jaya Municipal Council’s planning department at the very last minute.
SS18 Rukun Tetangga protem chairman Dr Hamidah Merican said the meeting was held on Aug 1.
“There was a letter calling for the meeting dated July 28. I was informed on July 29.
“Many of us residents representatives hold full time jobs and we cannot drop everything to attend a last minute meeting request,” she said.
Dr Hamidah added that when she asked MPSJ councillor Ken Chia on why there was a need for the telecommunications tower, he had said there were complaints of poor Internet and mobile phone connectivity in the area.
On behalf of all SS18 residents, she submitted a three-page letter to MPSJ president Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan, Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh and Chia, to object the proposed tower.
The letter stated that the telecommunications tower would jeopardise and compromise the safety of residents as it will stand on a narrow piece of road shoulder.
Currently, residents and visitors use the road shoulder as a space to park their cars during community events as well as sporting activities.
Dr Hamidah said that not just SS18 residents but those in SS14 use the field too, some of whom came to show their support during the protest.
However, she said a number of outsiders also park their cars there to use the LRT.
She worried that if the walkway is taken up by the tower that would lead to them parking their cars in front of the residents' homes.
"The tower will compromise our safety whether we are walking, driving or cycling.
“There is no space to walk here along Jalan SS18/6 unless we walk on the road, which is already so narrow.”
Dr Hamidah said instead of building a telecommunications tower, the council should spend money to upgrade the walkway around the field.
SS18 Residents Association protem deputy president Ivan Chan was the only representative at the meeting, which he said was more of a "show and tell", rather than a discussion.
“They showed us their plans and the approvals they received from the land office and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
“The last approval is the building permit from MPSJ stating they can start work,” he said.
Chan said the manner at which the meeting was conducted disregarded residents’ rights.
He said that his request for the tower to be relocated was also ignored.
The residents are petitioning to gain support from all affected parties to object to the proposed tower.
A meeting was held on Monday between the telecommunications company and MPSJ’s planning department but the outcome was not disclosed to residents and Star Metro at press time.
