Peka demands answers from mayor on new Bukit Gasing bungalows
PETALING JAYA : Environmental group Peka has demanded Petaling Jaya mayor Zahri Samingon prove that the construction of several bungalows at Bukit Gasing here meets the city council's conditions.
In a statement, Peka president Rajesh Nagarajan said Zahri's assertion that the project complies with Petaling Jaya City Council's (MBPJ) criteria is unsubstantiated, as no supporting documents or reports were provided.
'There is no transparency at all from the authorities even though this is a matter that affects the lives of the residents of Bukit Gasing,' said Rajesh.
'If the project is truly compliant with the rules, we demand that MBPJ show us the approvals. Failing this, the only logical conclusion is that the approvals were not in order.'
Peka recently called for a halt to the development of several bungalows at Bukit Gasing as they are being constructed on steep slopes.
The group threatened to take legal action against MBPJ if it did not halt the development, which it claimed involved the extensive felling of trees on steep slopes.
Peka claimed several landslides had already been reported in the area and that continued clearing could endanger lives.
In response, Zahri today said the bungalows were being developed on private land and the project meets MBPJ's conditions, adding that it did not encroach on Bukit Gasing's forest reserve area.
In a report in The Star, Zahri said the construction is located on land that can be developed, going on to note that there is a clear delineation of the border with the forest reserve.
Rajesh today said Zahri's remarks on the delineation were irrelevant as Peka never said the development was encroaching into the forest reserve.
'Our concern is with bungalow development on steep slopes, which poses landslide risks to the area,' he said.
'The mayor is steadfastly avoiding addressing the issue at hand and is instead deflecting our concerns by responding to a point that was never raised and is not a point of contention.'
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