Renewed attempts by housing developers to build an access road on a gazetted park has sparked further outrage among residents in Kingfisher Park, Kota Kinabalu.

The developers Kaya Borneo and the residents have been tussling over the issue since 2002, prompting Chief Minister Musa Aman to call for open spaces to be left alone.

But now, a hill in the park has been cut while a new road leading towards the park has been constructed, causing suspicion that the project will be revived, two days after KK Mayor Illiyas Ibrahim assured that the residents' wishes will be heeded.

Meeting turned sour

Residents committee chairperson S M Muthu told malaysiakini that on May 21, he was "summoned" by Illiyas for what was supposed to be a dialogue.

Instead, he claimed that the developers and a city hall engineer were also present to put "tremendous pressure" on him to agree to the developers' wishes.

"But I conveyed the residents committee's objection. I said no access through Kingfisher Park. We do not want to lose our peace and tranquility.

"The mayor was courteous enough to say that if we objected to the access, then that's it, which we understood was that nothing would happen," Muthu said. The meeting ended on that note.

Legal help needed

Following the hill cutting, Muthu immediately wrote to the mayor and informed Consumer Association of Sabah and Labuan president Patrick Sindu. Sindhu visited the site on Monday.

"We were both surprised as there is now a concrete road entrance there. And the small hill was being demolished to provide earth for the road access.

"What can we do? Are the elected representatives working for the people or the developers at our expense?" lamented Muthu.

Presently, the residents committee are seeking lawyers who are willing to help them preserve the park through the legal process.