USJ4 Casablanca residents' association are crying foul over the Subang Jaya Municipal Council's (MPSJ) refusal to allow the community to fence up their neighbourhood.

Apart from security reasons, the residents needed the fence to prevent vehicles from being parked in neighbourhood during the annual Ramadan bazaar, said association president Jeyanthy Pillai.

She said that the community there was upset over worsening traffic congestion and vandalism of parked vehicles when the bazaar was active.

"We used to be happy with the bazaar. It was very peaceful and meant just for the community. In recent years, the bazaar has grown from 50 stalls to 180. That is too much for us to cope.

"Other residents' associations are allowed to fence up and employ security guards. They are not affected during Ramadan. Why can't we be treated the same?" she told Malaysiakini.

Jeyanthy said that her association has written numerous times to MPSJ and that their petition had the support of 80 percent of the residents at USJ4 Casablanca. In view of this, MPSJ should listen to the ratepayers, she said.

She also claimed that MPSJ has confiscated barricades meant to prevent illegal parking two days before the Ramadan bazaar began operations this year. She claimed that her association did not receive any notification from the council.

"Is that the way to treat us? Have you seen and talk to us? I represent 80 percent of the people here," she said.

"We are the greatest friend for MPSJ. We did ‘gotong royong’ where we collected three tons of rubbish, we take care of the cleanliness of the area, we do patrolling...

"But the MPSJ doesn't recognise us like that. The local council doesn't really give us much support."

'Sending the wrong signal'

When contacted, MPSJ councillor Pooi Weng Keong said that bazaar had been active for years and urged the USJ4 Casablanca residents’ association to compromise since the bazaar only lasted a month.

"A lot of things will involve traffic problems. Even if we reduce the number of stalls to 50, we will have traffic congestion too. There must be a certain level of compromise," he said.

He said many neighbourhoods have night markets and that too causes short-term traffic problems.

"So does this mean we can't have pasar malam as well?" he asked.

He claimed that fencing in that area is not allowed because the land title did not state that it was a gated or guarded scheme title. Moreover, other residential areas can be fenced and gated as the residents did not object nor complain.

"We are not objecting to any gated or guarded scheme and have no problem with this implementation. However, we have residents objecting to it. When there are people complaining, it really can't work. This is the law," he said.

On the removal of the poles and barricades without prior notices, Pooi said MPSJ had to do so because it was in violation of the law.

"She (Jeyanthy) did not get prior approval for the fence. In fact, she set up the poles during Ramadan period on purpose. This is sending a wrong signal to certain communities," he asked.