Taman Wangsa Ukay residents: F&B business too near our homes

KUALA LUMPUR (July 6): Taman Wangsa Ukay residents are up in arms after finding out that “a temporary development” comprising 14 food stalls with toilets and an office would be built on a vacant land near their homes.

The residents of the housing area located in Bukit Antarabangsa, Ampang in Selangor are “collectively objecting” to the planned project in Jalan Wangsa 9 as they are concerned about “traffic congestion, noise pollution and cleanliness”, reported The Star today.

“There is a commercial area about 500m from this site with sufficient restaurants, so there is no need to have more here.

“If the project goes ahead, there will surely be people who park haphazardly on the road shoulder and near the junction of Jalan Wangsa 9 and Jalan Wangsa 1.

“This road has only two lanes and it is the only access in and out of the neighbourhood, so illegal parking will obstruct traffic and cause congestion,” resident Jit Singh complained.

He also added that the vacant land was “not a suitable location for such a business”.

Fellow resident Musa Mohd Lazim told the daily that “any food business would be bound to attract vermin that could eventually end up in the nearby houses”.

Meanwhile, the owner the land where the food stalls will be built, Dr Mohamed Rafick Khan Abdul Rahman, told the publication that “the project had been scaled down and would not be too disruptive”.

“I have decided to reduce the number of stalls and there will be at least 30 parking spaces within the compound.

“These are temporary stalls and as such there are no permanent structures that would affect the stability of the area.

“As a landowner, I have fulfilled the necessary requirements set by the council and should be allowed to operate,” he explained.

And from the perspective of the local council, things are ready to go. “The application from the landowner for a ‘permit for temporary structure’ was approved as the land is in a commercial zone,” Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) president Datuk Abdul Hamid Hussain said.

But he also added that MPAJ has “received a protest letter from the residents and understand their concerns”.

“We will monitor the situation and review the project’s status if needed,” he said.