“No comment”

Last Thursday, I called for a press conference together with devotees of Subang Jaya Buddhist Association on the promised pedestrian bridge at Persiaran Kewajipan. Persiaran Kewajipan is under the jurisdiction of JKR (a federal agency). This issue was first published during the campaign time for the General Elections 2008. Read about the promise made here. After the elections, residents of Subang Jaya (who are still paying income tax to the Federal Government!) were only given a “No Comment” reply when they asked for the promised pedestrian bridge.

Suicide road
Reported in the Malay Mail on Friday, October 9th, 2009. See reports in NST, Sinar Harian and The Star.

THE Subang-Kelana Link has never ceased to spark controversy. The latest, when the Public Works Department (PWD) failed to keep its word in building a pedestrian bridge along Persiaran Kewajipan, Subang Jaya.as promised to Subang Jaya Buddhist Association (SJBA) members Subang Jaya State assemblyman, Hannah Yeoh said an official letter had been sent to Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) by PWD to confirm that a bridge to connect SS13 and SS14 would be built. However, PWD allegedly decided to pull the plug a few months ago to the dissatisfaction of residents.

“On Feb 18, 2008, a letter was sent to MPSJ indicating that a pedestrian bridge would be built to accommodate SJBA devotees and its neighbour, a Hindu temple.But they decided not to build the bridge and when we asked for an explanation, they only said ‘no comment,’” Yeoh said.

Meanwhile, SJBA chairman, Chim Siew Choon said many devotees found it difficult to cross the road after the opening of the link.

“The link was supposed to make the road less congested but it’s getting worse. We’re just concerned with the safety of residents, especially senior citizens and children.

There were cases where devotees had been knocked down. We don’t want to wait until something fatal occurs for us to open our eyes,” he said.

Subang Jaya resident, Claire Chan, 71, said that it used to be easy for her to visit the association before the link was built. As construction progressed, the difficulties started.

“I believe that people can die anytime, anywhere, but I am an old lady devoted to my religion and I want to go there as often as I can.Back then, it was easy for me to travel on my own by cycling across the street but with the heavy traffic congestion, I now have to cross the busy road three times. I am in my 70s, how am I supposed to use the pedestrian bridge located so far away?” she said.

Another resident, Cheah Suan Cheng, 70, agreed, saying it took her more than an hour to reach the association each time from her home.

“I stay in USJ1 and it’s really near the association. But the traffic is unbearable. Last Sunday, many of us were caught in a traffic jam where we had to spend 45 minutes to an hour to get to our destination. The link does not help the congestion at all, it’s only making it worse,” she said.

Yeoh said: “The main issue is, they’ve promised us. We want PWD to honour its promise. If it can spend so much on building the stretch, what’s a pedestrian bridge going to cost?”Chim said the association is planning to take the matter further with a signature campaign which will be presented to Public Works Minister, Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor.

“So far, we’ve obtained more than 850 signatures and we expect to get more than a thousand by the end of the week. We’re willing to go that far to get PWD to reconsider the plan,” he said.