With the Wawasan LRT station expected to commence operation in the next few weeks, the adjacent playground - where USJ 18 residents and their children visit for exercise, fun and games - is bound to welcome strangers from near and far to their neighbourhood.

Which is why the residential committee led by university lecturer Zaharom Nain (top photo above) has been approaching the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) and the developer Prasarana Malaysia Bhd for the past three years to get the security fence around the residential area upgraded.

The fence is four-feet high but the residents want it upgraded to six feet.

“A Prasarana official has said the company would require a ‘black and white’ confirmation from MPSJ before it could proceed,” Zaharom told reporters at a protest gathering in Subang today.

He also said MPSJ had approved the upgrading of the fence.

“We have contacted MPSJ, which claimed it has sent three official letters to Prasarana last year (April 8, 29 and Oct 8), instructing the company to construct the fencing.

“We (USJ 18 residents) will even take care of the maintenance of the fence ourselves,” he added.

Selangor state assemblyperson for Kinrara, Ng Sze Han, who was also present, agreed with Zaharom’s concerns.

“In USJ section 18 there is a big recreational field (along the LRT station line) with plenty of benches, where in the night time, a lot of people would go there and ‘lepak’ and rest there. So there is a big concern among the residents.

“I have received a letter from the (USJ 18) residents and I will submit it to MPSJ to try and solve this issue as soon as possible. I will also be forwarding the letter to Prasarana,” Ng said.

However, Prasarana's communications department told Malaysiakini it had not received any official instruction from MPSJ.

"While we appreciate the anxiety and concern of the residents, we have not received an official instruction from MPSJ for us to build the fencing across the public park near USJ18/ 3 and USJ18/ 4.

"It would be a waste of public funds if we put up the fencing only to be told to remove it as it was not legal," it said, reiterating that Prasarana had also sought clarity from MPSJ regarding the residents' request.

Concerned with the rise in break-in cases, like the recent rape-robbery tragedy in Jalan Gasing, Malaysiakini has also attempted to contact MPSJ for comments.