The Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MPPJ) has been asked to withdraw its controversial PJ1 local plan which will drastically change the face of the township over the next eight years, and prepare a new one after broad consultation with its residents.

DAP national publicity chief Ronnie Liu, who claimed that the draft plan contains glaring flaws and inherent weaknesses, has urged residents to reject it in toto because "it is unfair and contrary to the interests of PJ residents".

"PJ DAP and Shadow MPPJ are also unhappy with the attitude displayed by the MPPJ, which has never held any discussion with the residents of PJ or sought their views before preparing the PJ1 draft plan.

"Such an attitude is opposed to the principles of Local Agenda 21 where residents are given certain role or right to air their views and make decisions together with the local government in all matters which concern them," he said in a memorandum handed over to MPPJ president Emran Kadir during a briefing session for residents of Zone 5.

Petaling Jaya is one of the four municipalities selected by the United Nations to participate in a sustainable development programme called Local Agenda 21, which among others gives residents a say in planning the development around them.

About 300 residents from Zone 5 Sections 17, 17A, 19 and part of SS2 attended the three-and-a-half-hour briefing and heated questions-and-answers session on the controversial PJ1 draft plan at the township's Civic Centre yesterday.

Too costly

Liu, who is also the Shadow MPPJ chairperson, questioned the sale of the draft plan at a steep price of RM150 a set comprising two volumes on the proposals and implementation, plus a CD-ROM containing the same.

"It is as if the MPPJ does not encourage the PJ residents to read it. The MPPJ should allow time for them to study and understand the draft plan in detail.

"The time-frame set for making written protests is also too short. For example, the briefing for residents of Sections 17, 17A and 19 is held today (May 5) but they are required to submit a written protest by May 15."

Liu said the draft plan totally disregards the needs and aspirations of new villagers of Kampung Damansara (now called Section 17A) and retired citizens in Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 who want to "maintain their lifestyle and neighbourly culture".

He also refuted MPPJ's claim that Kampung Damansara/Section 17A was "rather congested and disorganised".

"Is not every plot of land determined by the local government and all drains and roads built by the MPPJ? What the MPPJ should do, if its aim is to improve the people's quality of life, is to provide a special allocation to enhance the beauty and cleanliness of the new village."

Double standards

As for the squatter area of Kampung Damansara Dalam (now called Section 19), Liu said there was a deafening silence on what the MPPJ intends to do with the families who have been asked to move out.

"The MPPJ did not even touch on the subject of where the families will be relocated or whether they will be paid any compensation at all.

"It seems to practise double standards by proposing to increase the density only in areas occupied by the lower-income group while the status quo is maintained in the upper-class neighbourhood," noted Liu, also pointing to the absence of plans to build more Chinese schools in Chinese-majority areas.

The draft plan, he said, also "smacks of unhealthy racial elements", particularly in its bumiputra participation policy which provides preferential treatment.

He said such policies should be avoided because it only serves to "arouse the suspicion" among the multiracial local population.

The MPPJ should instead focus on what PJ residents really need and start resolving the traffic woes, water supply disruptions, flash floods, repair roads and improve the quality of public transportation, he said.

"More low- and medium-cost housing have to be built for those who do not own a house yet. Other improvements would include providing proper centres for hawkers and other small-time traders.

"The MPPJ should also not forget to provide disabled-friendly facilities in all public places, buildings and transportation." he added.

No interviews

The controversial draft plan has caused much confusion among PJ residents and various groups have begun to object in full or in part, but most of them are still unclear on what the MPPJ's plans really are.

Despite repeated requests for proper clarification, the local government has continued reassuring residents that their land would not be unnecessarily acquired. However, the law empowers a local authority to do so once the plan is gazetted.

Approached after the briefing for comments, MPPJ president Emran refused to say anything, and when pressed why he had refused to grant malaysiakini an interview on the PJ1 draft plan last month, he retorted: "I will give interviews to all newspapers but I will not talk to malaysiakini ", before speeding off in his car.