Rich say don’t need MRT, but poor welcome it
Malaysia Insider 17.2.2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 — Wealthy residents have dismissed the need for the Klang Valley mass rapid transit (MRT) system, unlike low-income earners who hailed it for its convenience.
Damansara Heights residents’ association president Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abd Rahaman said his neighbours would likely not use the MRT as they preferred to drive their luxury cars.
“They’ll still go on their Jaguars,” Abdul Aziz told The Malaysian Insider recently.
“People in our area will not use this (the MRT). People from other areas... pass through our area to go to town. That makes the whole place jammed (already),” he added.
Abdul Aziz also pointed out that land was scarce in the affluent neighbourhood, which counts ministers, tycoons and top civil servants as among its residents.
“[There is] no more land in our area. The whole place will be congested,” said Abdul Aziz, a one-time managing director of flag carrier Malaysia Airlines.
“So we want to know exactly where is it and how are they going to plan to do it,” he added.
Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) residents’ association president Mohd Hatim Abdullah also said his neighbours were unlikely to use the TTDI station, which will be located near the TTDI market.
“People who live there already own four or five cars,” said Hatim.
He added that TTDI residents in Kuala Lumpur also objected to the 1Utama MRT station as it would likely worsen traffic congestion on the Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP).
“The LDP now is very congested. During construction period, what will happen to the traffic?” he asked.
“They (the MRT stations) are both at our entry and exit points,” he added.
Hatim pointed out that the proposed location of the 1Utama station was on TTDI land next to the LDP headed towards Kuala Lumpur.
He said TTDI residents wanted the 1Utama station to be moved to a more suitable location nearby, such as the Bandar Utama golf driving range.
The driving range is located behind the 1Utama shopping mall in Petaling Jaya.
“The driving range is perfect,” said Hatim, pointing out that it was larger than the current proposed location.
The RM36.6 billion Klang Valley MRT project will have 35 stations along its first line that stretches 51km from Sungai Buloh to Kajang with four rail interchanges, according to documents released in the project website.
Eight stations between KL Sentral and Maluri will be underground as 9.5km of the Sungai Buloh-Kajang (SBK) line will be built under the capital city.
Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) CEO Mohd Nur Ismal Kamal has reportedly said that the cost of underground works would be five to 10 times higher on a per km basis if the line were to go underground, depending on geological conditions.
Groundworks for the SBK line is due to start this July 16 and will be completed in 2016.
There are two other proposed lines under the MRT.
Hatim also suggested that the TTDI station be relocated to Damansara Uptown, a commercial area.
“It can serve Taman Tun, Tropicana shopping centre, Uptown, DJ (Damansara Jaya), DU (Damansara Utama), (and) Damansara Kim. That area’s perfect,” said Hatim.
Sunway Damansara residents said The Curve MRT station would mar the aesthetic image of their neighbourhood in Petaling Jaya.
“If you look at it, Sunway Damansara and the surrounding areas, Mutiara Damansara, are basically hot market areas,” said Sunway Damansara residents’ association president Winslow Wong.
“With the massive columns to support the MRT line, it’s not going to contribute to the aesthetic value,” he added.
Wong pointed out that the MRT station would cause massive traffic jams on Persiaran Surian, which is already congested during peak hours.
“Persiaran Surian is already very narrow with condominiums on both sides, especially nearer to The Curve,” said Wong.
An environmental impact assessment (EIA) report by the project’s environmental consultant ERE Consulting Group warned that significant traffic congestion would affect Persiaran Surian, the LDP and Jalan Semantan in Damansara Heights.
Bandar Utama residents similarly expressed concerns about traffic congestion that may potentially be caused by the 1 Utama and The Curve MRT stations.
“We are worried about the traffic,” said Bandar Utama residents’ association chairman Lim See Meng.
“The jam will be... backed up all the way to DU,” he said.
Low income-owners like the residents of Kampung Sungai Balak in Kajang, however, welcomed Malaysia’s largest infrastructure project.
“If the project does not affect our houses, we have no problem,” said village head Mohd Tahir Salleh.
The EIA report released on Monday said Kampung Sungai Balak residents may be forced out of their homes, which will be the third time they are affected by land acquisition.
But Tahir said the public display of the alignment showed that the proposed Taman Mesra MRT station avoided the village.
“It involves empty landlots... and goes through old roads,” said Tahir.
Batu 11 Cheras residents also supported the MRT project.
“It is very convenient for our area. So far, no complaints,” said Batu 11 Cheras village head Alex Neo.
Affluent neighbourhoods in other countries have similarly opposed big-ticket development projects that are proposed near them, using initiatives which are termed “Not In My Backyard” (NIMBY).
NIMBY protests reportedly stopped the construction of a railway line from Glasgow Central to East Kilbride in Scotland in 1989. The proposal had involved tunnelling under residents’ back gardens.
The MRT is an entry-point project identified for the Greater Kuala Lumpur/Klang Valley National Key Economic Area under the Economic Transformation Programme.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said last December that the implementation of the project is expected to generate a gross national income (GNI) of between RM3 billion and RM4 billion beginning in 2011 until 2020.
He had said that between RM8 billion and RM12 billion was expected to be generated in terms of spin-offs from the construction of the MRT project.
The proposed alignment map for the SBK line is up for public viewing until May 14 at seven locations across the city.
They are Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Petaling Jaya City Council, Shah Alam City Council, Selayang Municipal Council, Kajang Municipal Council as well as the Bangsar LRT station and the SPAD office in Menara Dayabumi.
The public can provide their feedback on the project via email to feedback@kvmrt.com.my or through the SPAD toll free line at 1-800-82-6868.
The detailed environmental assessment impact report has been uploaded for public viewing at the Department of Environment’s website.
