CARETAKER Selangor menteri besar (MB) Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari is certainly a very busy man as the Aug 12 six state polls draws closer, having to juggle between canvassing for Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidates and to attend to the so-called wish list of Selangorians.
Even as the one-term MB has yet to truly put to rest concerns over a revival of the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) project despite having announced its cancellation 24 hours earlier, he is now being pushed over the edge by Tropicana Indah residents in PJ to cancel the proposed re-location of Seri Selangor Golf Club (KGSS) clubhouse ahead of the state polls.
The disgruntled residents who object to the proposed development over concerns that it will negatively impact their neighbourhood are seeking to meet with the incumbent Sungai Tua state assemblyman to find an end on to their woes.
Among others, the proposed development includes re-building the clubhouse next to residences at PJU3/11 and PJU3/12. The clubhouse is currently located in Persiaran Damansara Indah, off Persiaran Tropicana.
“We want a written statement from the MB to cancel the proposed relocation of KGSS and that residents will be engaged in future for any development in the area,” StarMetro quoted Tropicana Indah Resort Homes Parcel 12 Residents Association (RA) secretary-general Amir Hussin Awang as saying.
“The state government should also maintain KGSS at its current location,” insisted Amir Hussin during a recent meeting with Kota Damansara PH-PKR candidate Muhammad Izuan Ahmad Kasim and Perikatan Nasional (PN)-Bersatu candidate Mohd Radzlan Jalaludin at KGSS.
The affected residents have sought both candidates’ commitment to address the contentious re-location of the clubhouse during the meeting.
In February this year, six residents’ associations in the area had voiced objection to plans by the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) to construct a two-storey clubhouse on a parcel of land in the existing 64.7ha 18-hole, par-72 golf course that the latter owned.
Host of concerns
Safety risks and worsening traffic jams are chief causes of the objection by the Tropicana Indah residents. The proposed project site is situated along Persiaran Damansara Indah heading to Persiaran Surian which is in a sloppy area and has steep bends.
The proposed new clubhouse entrance will conflict severely with the already congested main entrance of PJU 3/12.
The re-location of the club will also result in a severe jam due to the U-turn system entry into the club which would have severe implications during an emergency. For example, the Tropicana tunnel is not suitable for fire engines to pass through during an emergency.
Other concerns raised by the residents include:
- Over-development and infringement of residents’ rights, health and safety;
- Insufficient time provided to residents to make informed decisions on the development; and
- Waste of resources to renovate the existing clubhouse given that PKNS had in 2018 spent RM5 mil to renovate its existing club house before the proposed development of a new clubhouse.
Moreover, the residents claimed that the new clubhouse location was gazetted as recreational land, hence, they fear that once the clubhouse is re-located, it would bring increased traffic to their housing area.
Aside from this, Tropicana Indah residents also highlighted an institutional conflict of interest in granting the project’s conditional approval by Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) for the proposed construction at Lot 50635.
They eventually filed a judicial review to quash it with case management been set for Aug 15. Should the project go ahead, it would affect 3,000 households in the area.
“Although the matter had been brought up during the Selangor state assembly sitting, Amirudin seems to have brushed it aside,” lamented RA chairman Madiyazhagan Maniam. “We hope to meet the MB so that our voices can be heard. KGSS is the only public golf course in Klang Valley and a lot of young golfers hone their skills here.” – Aug 9, 2023
