Petaling Jaya residents want new Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali to look into their complaints on "controversial" amendments the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) plans to make to the local draft plans (RTPJ 1 and 2).

"We are collectively voicing our deep concerns on the many controversies surrounding the recent exercise by MBPJ to introduce changes in the local draft plans," says a joint statement by 20 residents' associations, Rukun Tetangga and building management councils.

The statement, addressed to Azmin, singled out MBPJ mayor Alinah Ahmad's actions over the past months as running contrary to the residents' interests and Selangor councillors' actions.

For example, said the residents, Alinah in August continued to display amended local plans despite the councillors' disapproval.

On Aug 7 The Star reported that MBPJ was going ahead with the public display of the amended Local plans despite objections from its local councillors.

The report also said all councillors had objected to the proposed amendments to RTPJ 1 and 2 during a full board meeting in February, after disagreeing with the council’s plan to increase the plot ratio at transit oriented development areas in the city from 1:4 to 1:6.

The residents also complained of "the persistent citing by the mayor of claimed directives issued by the State Planning Committee (SPC) to overrule councillors' rights to put matters to a majority vote".

They also cited various obstacles the residents faced in obtaining information about the planned changes and voicing their objections, as well as the mayor working against the councillors on numerous occasions.

'MBPJ needs transparency'

The statement also cited several examples of the mayor failing to support the councillors' majority vote to repeal and then review the "controversial local plans draft amendments, but instead her insistence to take the matter directly up to the new Selangor MB".

"In fact, on a broader framework, we demand of the state government and MBPJ a more accountable and transparent consultative and participatory process of engagement with us ratepayers in the way our city is run and managed," said the residents.

PJ residents have been up in arms in particular over former menteri besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim favouring the construction of the controversial Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex), which will cut through the heart of the densely populated city.

Recently, Damasara residents have also complained that another highway, the Damansara- Shah Alam Elevated Expressway ( Dash), is also purportedly being incorporated into the local plans, despite Khalid's administration assuring them in 2012 that approval would not be given.

According to the residents, five MBPJ councillors on Aug 29 also locked horns with Alinah, who had refused a one month extension of display of the draft plans.

The residents associations urged the Alinah to hold dialogues with PJ stakeholders to explain her choice of actions "to forge better mutual respect and understanding".

"We demand a thorough investigation into the background circumstances and factors leading to the many controversies of the local plans changes exercise."

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