TRANSIT took note of this article in The Star Metro, in which residents of Bandar Kinrara 3 in Puchong expressed their concern over the LRT routing through their area.
RESIDENTS of Bandar Kinrara 3 in Puchong, who were eagerly anticipating the arrival of the LRT in their area are shocked to know that the final rail alignment will see the clearing of trees in a small buffer zone separating their homes from the Bukit Jalil Highway.
In the limelight: Residents propose that instead of building the LRT line in an area that is filled with green and acts as a buffer zone, Prasarana should instead build the line in the middle of the highway. Image courtesy of The Star.
Bandar Kinrara 3 pro tem committee vice-chairman Kenny Tan Jui Thong said said the residents only came to know when the surveyors placed the rail boundary markers. About 100 houses will be directly affected because their homes face the buffer zone.
“It is not only the rail alignment that will be built in the buffer zone but also the station. This will increase the number of outsiders coming into the area and we are worried for our safety,” Tan said.
He added that the residents were worried that building a station near their residential area would cause indiscriminate parking and traffic congestion.
“Noise pollution will also be a big problem if the LRT is built close to our homes,” Tan said, adding that they have approached former Puchong MP Datuk Loo Yeng Peng who has been taking part in discussions on the issue.
[TRANSIT: It sounds like the standard compendium of LRT-related problems – one would think that SPAD and Prasarana would have found a way to resolve these issues (or answer these allegations) by now]
At a meeting with LRT developer Prasarana Bhd yesterday, the residents proposed an alternative route for the line to the company’s group managing director, Shahril Mokhtar,
“In Bandar Kinrara 2, the rail alignment follows the middle of the highway which we believe should be followed when the LRT enters Bandar Kinrara 3,” Tan said, adding that the meeting was successful because they felt their views were heard and taken into consideration.
He also said they were told Prasarana would be studying the alternative routes and its feasibility and get back to them within three to four weeks.
[TRANSIT: It’s really a shame that the studying of alternative routes is taking place now, nearly a year after the LRT was supposed to start operations, and nearly 1.5 years after the public display began!]
Committee secretary Ye Choh Wah said discussions were held two years ago regarding the LRT.
“At that point, the details were still sketchy and we assumed from maps shown to us that the rail alignment would be in the middle of the highway,” he said.
[TRANSIT: This is exactly the problem – issues are not resolved because details are sketchy because the planning is rushed and the public consultation is incomplete.]
Loo said the residents were not against the building of the LRT but felt there was a better route for the rail alignment.
“The traffic congestion in the area is becoming worse and the project will help ease this problem. I hope the company will listen to the people’s views,” Loo said.
He added that the station was part of the 13 along a 17km route that would be connected to the Kelana line.
TRANSIT Says:
We chose to post this article and discussion topic not to complain about Prasarana (although sadly, some staff at Prasarana still feel that we are too critical of them) but to express our concern that the lessons of rail planning and public consultation are still not being learned by SPAD and Prasarana, the government asset-owner and regulator which were supposed to save us from terrible public transport!
It’s time to admit that our public consultation process is deeply flawed and in need of vast improvements. And it is time to admit that our public transport planning process is too politically-directed (to be honest, this is not just a Malaysian thing) which results in incomplete planning and ineffective planning.
Some of the issues that are being raised here should have been ironed out a long time ago, before the public display even began. But what we were told then was that Prasarana was ready to start the LRT extensions in less than 7 months.
We at TRANSIT appreciate a positive attitude, but not at the expense of good, solid, reliable public transport planning.
We can only hope that SPAD and Prasarana will learn from the LRT extension process and the current MRT proposal and improve so that these issues are not repeated.
We are not expecting everyone to be satisfied – but the effort needs to be made on the part of Prasarana & SPAD.
14 replies on “LRT Update: Residents worried about LRT impact”
There is sacrifice for everything, no such thing as 100% win-win situation.
Hi Jeffrey
We agree that infrastructure projects cannot please 100% of the stakeholders 100% of the time – but Prasarana and SPAD, being part of the government, have a duty to inform the public in an effective and timely manner.
Unfortunately, it seems that they have interpreted the existing laws to say that the minimum level of effort and responsibility and duty are required.
Regards, moaz for TRANSIT
“sadly, some staff at Prasarana still feel that we are too critical of them”
we are critical, because we care and they should appreciate it.
In all these years, Prasarana, lrt system and other public transportation system really hardly care about audioly impaired people. When I went to Prasarana at Dayabumi few days ago, they were very surprised and suddenly was enlightened when I conveyed the problems of my friends who are deaf or dumb about the problems they faced at public transport vehicles and system. I hope they can really take note about the plight of audioly impaired people because usually deaf people tend to look normal that’s why they had been neglected by the government for so many years in terms of public transport problems/inconveniences and troubles.
@Bob Dylan,
“we are critical, because we care and they should appreciate it.”
Exactly!
This is the problem with our government, they always complete things as long as it has reached the minimum requirements. They don’t know how to improvise and make the best out of it. In fact, to be honest, I’m so tired of criticising the government simply because they never really heed the people’s (rakyat) words or advice. For the government, they want to save money and EFFROTS too. It’s very sad to know this fact. Everything they do is up to the minimum standards/requirements only. The government hardly take the efforts to make the best out of it. The government of Malaysia did not really do things out of the pride of obligations and genuine sincerity, they did not do it with 100% effort!! For examples, all the executive workers of high speed rail CRH in China did not meet their family members for almost three years (did not even go back to their hometown/family during Chinese New Year), one of the guy’s wife threaten him for a divorce but he just ignored it. This is the true spirit of putting real genuine efforts and sincerity into public projects shown by CRH of China. What about Malaysia government???
Another executive officer in CHR or high speed rail construction in China, the head of engineering is having a risk to become blind after he was in front of computer screen too long during the design process. He faced a lot of eye problems and the eye specialist advised him to take a long rest but he insisted to continue with his work until it’s completion in the third year.
What about residents from Taman Esplnad? Anyone care about us? 20m or less buffer zone that separated houses and railway track is acceptable? It clearly explained authority never thought of people, environment and solutions. I am very disappointed that no one is listening to my view yet all are concern their own agenda.
Hi Gary
Thanks for your comment. It is strange that the Taman Esplanad issue still has not been resolved to your satisfaction and has not gotten enough attention.
It is a good time to remind the public that, before we focus on mega projects we should resolve existing issues with the delayed LRT extensions.
May I suggest that you write a timely follow up letter to the article above? TRANSIT will also follow up on the topic once again, and hopefully we can get some satisfactory resolution.
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
@Gary
All the officers at Prasarana and SPAD will tell you in de facto way that we could not care less about your one miserable problems/complaints/issue, we have something “more important” to handle.
Hi Moaz, may I know who should I write to with regards to this matter?
Gary, at this point, you need to contact SPAD CEO Mohamed Nur Ismal Kamal and Prasarana MD Shahril Mokhtar directly, as well as your local ADUN and MP.
We will send you the contacts for Nor Ismal Kamal and Shahril Mokhtar as soon as possible.
Letters to the various news media can be sent to the following addresses:
That’s great. Let me start drafting the letter while waiting for the other 2 names from you. Really appreciate it
@Jeff
Pathetic. Speechless if that’s the case. We need an authority or gov that hear us as well as learn from the past. I have raised my concern to media/ press and hope my voice is loud enough yet still no respond
Transit Malaysia 
14 replies on “LRT Update: Residents worried about LRT impact”
There is sacrifice for everything, no such thing as 100% win-win situation.
Hi Jeffrey
We agree that infrastructure projects cannot please 100% of the stakeholders 100% of the time – but Prasarana and SPAD, being part of the government, have a duty to inform the public in an effective and timely manner.
Unfortunately, it seems that they have interpreted the existing laws to say that the minimum level of effort and responsibility and duty are required.
Regards, moaz for TRANSIT
“sadly, some staff at Prasarana still feel that we are too critical of them”
we are critical, because we care and they should appreciate it.
In all these years, Prasarana, lrt system and other public transportation system really hardly care about audioly impaired people. When I went to Prasarana at Dayabumi few days ago, they were very surprised and suddenly was enlightened when I conveyed the problems of my friends who are deaf or dumb about the problems they faced at public transport vehicles and system. I hope they can really take note about the plight of audioly impaired people because usually deaf people tend to look normal that’s why they had been neglected by the government for so many years in terms of public transport problems/inconveniences and troubles.
@Bob Dylan,
“we are critical, because we care and they should appreciate it.”
Exactly!
This is the problem with our government, they always complete things as long as it has reached the minimum requirements. They don’t know how to improvise and make the best out of it. In fact, to be honest, I’m so tired of criticising the government simply because they never really heed the people’s (rakyat) words or advice. For the government, they want to save money and EFFROTS too. It’s very sad to know this fact. Everything they do is up to the minimum standards/requirements only. The government hardly take the efforts to make the best out of it. The government of Malaysia did not really do things out of the pride of obligations and genuine sincerity, they did not do it with 100% effort!! For examples, all the executive workers of high speed rail CRH in China did not meet their family members for almost three years (did not even go back to their hometown/family during Chinese New Year), one of the guy’s wife threaten him for a divorce but he just ignored it. This is the true spirit of putting real genuine efforts and sincerity into public projects shown by CRH of China. What about Malaysia government???
Another executive officer in CHR or high speed rail construction in China, the head of engineering is having a risk to become blind after he was in front of computer screen too long during the design process. He faced a lot of eye problems and the eye specialist advised him to take a long rest but he insisted to continue with his work until it’s completion in the third year.
What about residents from Taman Esplnad? Anyone care about us? 20m or less buffer zone that separated houses and railway track is acceptable? It clearly explained authority never thought of people, environment and solutions. I am very disappointed that no one is listening to my view yet all are concern their own agenda.
Hi Gary
Thanks for your comment. It is strange that the Taman Esplanad issue still has not been resolved to your satisfaction and has not gotten enough attention.
It is a good time to remind the public that, before we focus on mega projects we should resolve existing issues with the delayed LRT extensions.
May I suggest that you write a timely follow up letter to the article above? TRANSIT will also follow up on the topic once again, and hopefully we can get some satisfactory resolution.
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
@Gary
All the officers at Prasarana and SPAD will tell you in de facto way that we could not care less about your one miserable problems/complaints/issue, we have something “more important” to handle.
Hi Moaz, may I know who should I write to with regards to this matter?
Gary, at this point, you need to contact SPAD CEO Mohamed Nur Ismal Kamal and Prasarana MD Shahril Mokhtar directly, as well as your local ADUN and MP.
We will send you the contacts for Nor Ismal Kamal and Shahril Mokhtar as soon as possible.
Letters to the various news media can be sent to the following addresses:
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
That’s great. Let me start drafting the letter while waiting for the other 2 names from you. Really appreciate it
@Jeff
Pathetic. Speechless if that’s the case. We need an authority or gov that hear us as well as learn from the past. I have raised my concern to media/ press and hope my voice is loud enough yet still no respond