Friday, May 9, 2008

Bandar Makhota Cheras Protest (Update)

The residents are tired that their griefs and complains have not gotten through the heads of Grand Saga.

Residents of Bandar Mahkota Cheras, Bandar Sungai Long and the surrounding areas have to bear with the daily traffic congestions during peak hours, the extra long drive to reach the highway which means more fuel is burned (waste of fuel and contribute to pollution), and to pay the extra toll (90 cents) all which can be avoided if the access road is open.

It doesn't make sense that an access road which would greatly ease the burdens of residents be closed for so long. They that want the road to be closed are not sensitive to the needs of the people.

I boycotted the the highway yesterday by using the residential roads (Alam Damai, Bandar Tun Hussein Onn..) to reach Sungai Long. Avoiding the highway is not the best solution, eventhough I do not have to pay the tolls, but the distance is longer (hence more fuel is used, Duh!!!!) and traffic is much slower too via the residential roads.

Not everyone can avoid using the Kajang-Cheras highway as it will be more inconvenient for them to do so.


Police fire tear gas at Cheras residents (From Malaysia Kini)
May 8, 2008
breaking news updated 11.35pm Police fired tear gas late tonight to disperse 500 Bandar Mahkota Cheras residents who had tried to dismantle a new concrete barrier erected by toll operator Grand Saga.
...

BMC residents doused and gassed (From
Malaysia Kini)
Andrew Ong May 9, 08 10:10am
Bandar Mahkota Cheras residents successfully tore down the contentious barricade again last night but their jubilation was short-lived when the police used force to disperse them.
...

BMC: Ahli parlimen Segambut dibelasah (From Malaysia Kini in Bahasa Malaysia)
Andrew Ong May 9, 08 12:58pm
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/82580


Four arrested in Cheras demo (From The Star Online)
Friday May 9, 2008
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/9/nation/21203494&sec=nation

KAJANG: Four people were picked up after they demonstrated at Bandar Mahkota, Cheras, due to road works being carried out at a traffic light junction leading to the area.
...

Get injunction against Grand Saga, folks told (From The Star Online)
Friday May 9, 2008
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/5/9/central/21193898&sec=central

Don't use 'safety' as excuse, Grand Saga (From
Malaysia Kini)
Ratna Devi Nadarajan May 8, 08 4:27pm
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/82533

...Grand Saga business development and corporate affairs executive director Zainal Abidin Ali said while he sympathised with the residents for being forced to use a longer route, Grand Saga has to close it due to safety concerns.

We urge Grand Saga not to manipulate the word ‘safety’ as a ticket out of this situation. The developers, as part of their social obligation to road users, must have humanised their design rather than focusing on maximum profit generation.
...
All 15 of the 22 highways in the country are said to be making profits (as indicated by the Works Minister and this includes Grand Saga). Increasing volume of vehicles, urban migration and land development in the areas around the Grand Saga highway will surely ensure profits for the concessionaire for a long time.
...
Read more at http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/82533


Police Brutality
Read at Lim Lip Eng's blog.
http://limlipeng.blogspot.com/2008/05/police-brutality-bandar-mahkota-cheras.html


SPECIAL REPORT: The Grand Saga in Cheras (From Malaysia Kini)
May 9, 08 3:27pm
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/82584

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I thought that it is unconstitutional for any party to limit the movement of traffic unless the evidence furnished is proven beyond doubt. Can we take the various Highway Concessionaires and the Federal Government to court? The people should have the right to travel freely and any attempts to limit otherwise without a valid unchallengable reason should be unconstitutional and therefore illegal.