Bandar Botanic Layout Plan

Bandar Botanic Layout Plan

Monday 6 July 2009

BBRAeNEWS No.154 - Gated & Guarded Scheme

85% approval needed before implementation

With regards to an article posted at The Star Online last Saturday, it would seem that the plight of converting an open community to a gated & guarded scheme would require the combined determination and will of the community if it were to achieve the target of having 85% of total residents' signatures. Is it an uphill battle?

USJ11/4 folk discuss gated & guarded scheme

By JADE CHAN

RESIDENTS of USJ11/4 got together recently to discuss and provide feedback on the need to implement the gated and guarded (G&G) scheme in their neighbourhood.

The forum was also aimed at addressing security issues and registering residents to secure the 85% agreement needed to implement the scheme, as well as introducing the newly elected USJ11/4 residents association (RA) pro-tem committee members.

Need for additional security measures: Sudo (left) highlighting the need to implement the gated and guarded scheme in the neighbourhood to address the high crime rate in USJ Subang Jaya.

USJ11/4 RA pro-tem chairman Raymond Sudo highlighted the need to implement the G&G programme to address the high crime rate in USJ Subang Jaya.

“Within 40 days, we managed to collect 545 consent forms, which represents 76% of the homes here,” Sudo said, adding that there were more than 700 homes in USJ11/4.

A committee member from the USJ11/3 RA shared how they had set up the G&G scheme in their neighbourhood, and how it had transformed the community from a crime hotspot to a place with nearly zero crime.

USJ8 police station officer-in-charge Chief Inspector Loi Yew Lik admitted that the police had their own shortcomings.

“There are an estimated 300,000 residents in USJ alone, and 100 men in blue at the USJ8 police station.

“This works out to a 1:3,000 ratio, whereas the international standard is 1:300.

“House break-ins, car thefts and snatch thefts are the most common crimes in USJ, which can be addressed by the G&G programme,” Loi said.

He also advised residents not to hesitate to contact him or the USJ8 police station if they came across suspicious characters, and to get to know their neighbours.

Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh outlined the technicalities and difficulties related to the G&G scheme.

“There is a need for the Selangor government to review the law, because the present laws clearly state that barricading roads or obstructing traffic is illegal.

“Because of the rising crime rate, the G&G scheme has become very popular, hence the need to regulate this carefully,” she said.

Yeoh said she had called for a review of the G&G guidelines that were proposed by the Selangor Housing Board (Lembaga Perumahan Selangor) during the previous state government’s administration.

“Does the 85% agreement involve houseowners or tenants? Meanwhile, the location and size of the guardhouse must be have proper approvals,” she said.

“The appointed security company must be registered with the Home Ministry. Utility companies like Alam Flora must be free to conduct their maintenance work.

“I understand that the barricades must come down from midnight to 6am, but crime happens most often during the daytime in USJ.”

Yeoh stressed that the issue of security came under the police’s jurisdiction, which fell under the Home Ministry, a Federal agency.

“It is crucial for the local council to have an emergency meeting with the Selangor Chief Police Officer and Housing Board to iron out the details about the G&G scheme.

“The G&G scheme is just a short-term measure to give the police sufficient time (of about five years) to improve the police force, and security and safety of the country.”

Yeoh said the success of the G&G programme depended largely on the residents.

“The benefits do not just involve security; you will find people coming together more often for healthy community activities,” she said.

USJ 11/4 residents who were present at the forum were urged to inform their neighbours and get them to sign up for the G&G programme.

The USJ11/4 website is http://groups.google.com/group/usj114.

1 comment:

Sunny Ho said...

Dear Residents of Bandar Botanic,
What do you think of making Bandar Botanic gated?