Residents living in Section 17 are currently protesting against the construction of a telecommunications tower in close proximity to their homes. They argue that the authorities did not consider their opinions before allowing the project to proceed. The residents believe that the chosen site for the tower, which is situated at a junction along Jalan 17/21 in Petaling Jaya, is far too close to some of the nearby homes.
Chan Kam Houn, one of the residents who participated in the protest, expressed his alarm upon witnessing the presence of heavy machinery at the project site earlier this month. He disclosed that they were not informed or consulted about the construction plans and were taken aback when they discovered workers at the location. Chan mentioned that work was temporarily halted after a resident reported the situation to the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).
Chew Hian Tat, the Petaling Jaya MCA division chief, organized a press conference addressing the issue. He stressed that a dialogue with the residents should have been conducted prior to the initiation of the project. Chew emphasized the importance of finding an alternate location that is further away from the residential area, as the current distance between the tower and the nearest home is less than 20 meters.
Andy Teoh, the Petaling Jaya MCA division youth chief, pointed out that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission’s Communications Infrastructure Planning Guideline of 2022 specifies that the minimum distance between telecommunications towers and homes should be 20 meters. This further supports the residents’ argument against the chosen location.
Chew added that they have successfully collected over 260 signatures from individuals who oppose the construction of the tower. Their plan is to submit these signatures, along with an appeal letter, to the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) in hopes of halting the project.
Credit: The Star : Metro Feed
