Taman Pusat Bercham residents say no to telco tower on rooftop

IPOH (May 15): Worried health hazard of radiation, residents of Taman Pusat Bercham here want the construction of a telecommunication tower on the roof of a shoplot in their neighbourhood to stopped immediately, reported the Malay Mail.

One of residents Tan Yook Lakh said the construction work started in April and residents approached Bercham assemblyman Ong Boon Piow for assistance.

“Ong told us his hands are tied as approval for the tower had been given,” he said during a media conference arranged by MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau head Low Guo Nan at the site today.

Resident Alina Abdul Rahman raised her concerns about the potential health hazard caused by radiation from the tower.

“I lost at least three neighbours to cancer,” she said.

Another resident Chan Kam Sun told the news portal he lost his wife and son to cancer and was afraid that his 12-year-old daughter will be affected too.

“My wife passed away due to cervical cancer while my son died due to bone cancer,” said the 65-year-old technician whose house is behind the proposed site to erect the tower

“... I do not want to lose my 12-year-old daughter to cancer too,” he added.

The residents had initiated a signature campaign against the construction of the tower on Tuesday and managed to collect more than 200 signatures. The petition was submitted to Ong.

MCA’s Low noted that under a guideline on constructing and permit renewal for telecommunications structures in the state that was prepared by KPerak Inc Corp 2017, telco structures on rooftops are not allowed.

“By allowing the tower to be built in spite of the guideline, it is like Pakatan Harapan government giving a present to the people in conjunction with its one-year anniversary,” he told the news portal.