At the time of writing this report, that is in the next few days, we will be in February 2014, yet there is no good news on the current position of the Subang Ria Park.
Apparently, everything seems to have cooled down - or rather swept under the carpet, let alone put us on the lurch - since the last public hearing with the Selangor MB and the Subang Jaya state assemblyperson.
Well come to think of it, it’s because of these two great names and two great minds whom the residents can trust - having given to the state MB and the Subang Jaya state assemblyperson their current positions - that there is an opportunity to talk with the owner to return the park to the community.
Although both of them have done something for Subang Jaya during their first term of governance and office - in Selangor and in the Subang Jaya state constituency, respectively - but that is not enough, because they did not walk the talk when it came to closing the deal to get Sime Darby to hand over the ownership of the Subang Ria Park to the community with the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) appointed as the custodian and caretaker.
In fact, they were supposed to ‘seal’ a deal with Sime Darby to buy over the park if other proposals to take-over its ownership had failed.
At a public hearing in 2012 or perhaps in 2013, they have given assurances during the ‘meet the residents’ sessions that they will meet up with the head (managing director) of Sime Darby and have talks on the issues pertaining to the take-over of the park and transfer of ownership of the property.
Actually, the residents reckon that Sime Darby should give back the park to the community and let MPSJ become the custodian and caretaker, in view of the fact that the township is already fully developed and that Sime Darby had used it as an infrastructure setting for the township and also to sell properties.
Yes, Sime Darby had made tons of money selling homes in Subang Jaya, and also had earned a corporate name from the building industries in Malaysia to become the No 1 in property development.
Back to square one?
Well, with the silence, it looks like the whole case will fall back to square one, worst still if the present state MB is to be replaced.
However, the blessing in disguise is though there was time lost, it would be a benefit to residents because the sales value of the property will diminish accordingly with what is left of the number of years remaining in the lease. So, it will be cheaper for the Selangor government to buy the property now.
There you go, the leasehold for the Subang Ria Park/Land will be expiring in just a few more years.
This is a call to the present state MB and the Subang Jaya state assemblyperson to catch up on lost time, to get the case close prior to any changes in office. We know you can still do it. So why not?
It should also be noted that the residents have waited many years to see someone from the Land Office and state government come forward to help get the Subang Ria Park officially gazetted as a green lung, and that the land also be officially gazetted as a public recreation park in Subang Jaya.
In the meantime, the relevant authorities from the Land Office, Selangor government, and MPSJ should not accept any application from Sime Darby or its agents or any corporation asking for the renewal of the leasehold title for the Subang Ria Park and Land.
They should reject all applications for the renewal of the leasehold title as it has been a long wait for its expiry, and not to mention that it will now be easier for the state government to acquire the land back into its fold.
LAU BING is a community activist and writer in Subang Jaya.
