Residents want new gov't to act against YTL cement plant
More than five years after their cause was taken up by former Batu MP Tian Chua, residents in Sentul are again seeking action against a cement factory which they deem a public hazard.
The residents want Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad to take immediate action against the YTL cement plant which has been operating in the area for 14 years.
Bukit Bintang PKR chief N Shanmugam, who represented the residents, claimed that the plant posed a danger to schoolchildren and motorists.
"There are five schools within 100m of the cement plant. Parents fear for the safety of their children when school ends because heavy vehicles are always moving in and out.
"We are afraid to wait by the roadside to pick up our kids. In fact, a mother was killed when she was hit by a lorry," he told Malaysiakini.
It is believed that he was referring to the case of Siti Rohani Mohamad Saadi, who died when her motorcycle collided with a cement lorry in the area in September 2013.
The 30-year-old mother was on her way to fetch her daughter from school when the accident happened.
Malaysiakini is trying to determine the outcome of police investigations into the accident.
YTL's Sentul development, Sentul Raya Sdn Bhd, had said it would take the necessary action once police concluded their investigations.
Shanmugam claimed that other accidents have occurred due to cement from trucks spilling onto the road.
Besides schools, the plant is also surrounded by the local market, two temples, a church, and several housing areas.
MIC central committee member D Tharmakumaran proposed that the plant be relocated elsewhere since YTL owns more than 200 acres of land in Sentul.
Meanwhile, resident K Thambiraja claimed that the plant is emitting dust from its waste cement recycling processes, which is affecting the health of residents.
"I believe the dust from the waste cement comes into our homes and nearby schools. Residents, especially the children, often suffer from coughing, cold, sore throat and itchy eyes,” he added.
When Tian Chua took up the issue in 2013, Sentul Raya had refuted the concerns, particularly those concerning the plant's emissions.
A spokesperson said the processes and procedures of the cement plant, which has been operating since 2005, were in accordance with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and Department of Environment (DOE) requirements.
Meanwhile, Sentul residents are also hoping that Tian's successor in Batu, P Prabakaran, will take note of their plight.
Malaysiakini has contacted Prabakaran and YTL for comment.
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