Strong support: Tan Kok Wai (sixth from right) and members of the Bandar Mahkota Cheras Open Access Road Committee holding up papers containing the 7,000 signatures they have collected. Hanging on to their struggle for over one year now, the Bandar Mahkota Cheras Open Access Road Committee suffered one more blow on Tuesday when they were denied the right to attend yet another meeting concerning the housing area’s access road. The meeting at the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) headquarters in Kajang involved representatives from the Kajang Muni-cipal Council (MPKj) for the first time.
Also present were representatives from Cheras-Kajang Highway concessionaire Grand Saga Sdn Bhd and developer Narajaya Sdn Bhd. The road is barricaded since it was built because the concessionaire and the developer could not come to an agreement.
Committee chairman Tan Boon Wah said the residents were very disappointed because MHA director-general Datuk Mohamad Razali Othman had on two occasions promised to invite residents’ representatives to future meetings pertaining the access road.
When he learned about the meeting through his sources, Boon Wah sought permission to take part but received no reply. On the day of the meeting, Tan, several committee members and mediator Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai showed up at MHA but were stopped from taking part in the meeting.
“Residents are the stakeholders, they should have a say,” Boong Wah said, adding that the residents would not give up on their pursuit. He said the committee’s signature campaign started since June 24 had collected 7,000 names, and that it was very close to the targeted 10,000.
Kok Wai said the Bandar Mahkota Cheras residents felt frustrated, disappointed and helpless after Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu insisted in the Parliament that toll had to be collected at the access road in order to put an end to the long-standing issue. He said meetings concerning the access road and toll collection should involve residents' representatives, as the government should adhere to the principles in Agenda 21 - to be transparent.
“If Bandar Tun Hussein Onn has an access road that allows them to avoid the toll on Cheras-Kajang Highway, why can't the same be done at Bandar Mahkota Cheras?” he asked. Kok Wai said the committee would continue with the signature campaign and show it to the Prime Minister as soon as they obtained 10,000 signatures. Those who want to support the campaign can visit the park in Bandar Mahkota Cheras tomorrow from 6pm to 8pm and on Sunday (July 8) from 10am to 12pm.
