Local Enforcement Officers Go Down Hard on Protesters
Did anyone read this in today’s The Star Metro?
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS GO DOWN HARD ON PROTESTERS
ABOUT 12 enforcement officers from the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) burst into Taman Hijau Apartments in Ukay Heights recently and started tearing down banners and placards put up by the residents in protest against an development project in the neighbourhood.
An eyewitness to the incident who refused to be identified said the officers were dressed in their official uniforms and came storming into the apartment area at about 11am without proper documentation, shouting and behaving like hooligans.
“They did not gain permission but merely stormed in and refused to identify themselves,'’ she said.
“It was shocking to see officers from the local authority behaving like that,'’ she said.
Expatriate H. Berbar said the officers were rude and when he started taking pictures of the raid, they covered their nametags on the uniforms.
“The whole incident happened so fast that I sprained my ankle during the commotion,'’ he said.
“When we questioned one of the officers, he said we did not have a permit for the banners.
“My question is why did they not take down all the other signages in Ukay Heights, which obviously did not have permits as well?
“Where was their permit to enter private property and remove items?'’ asked Berbar.
Datuk Mustapha Mahmud, who is a resident of Taman Hijau, said he was alarmed when he saw the way the officers were behaving.
“Technically, they do not have the right to come into the property as it is private owned yet they did so and when I questioned them about it, they ran away,'’ he said.
Read the full article here.
As bad as the PR of some of the local councils with public, this has got to make it worse. That area has a lot of foreign expats staying there, how do you think it will make Malaysia look? Bad. Especially with the government trying to promote Malaysia My Second Home and Visit Malaysia Year.
the MPAJ have considered approving a development which goes agains laws preventing developments on hillslopes above 20 degrees, notwithstanding the issue surrounding the weak soil structure in Ukay Heights areas.
No wonder the residents in the area are worried and objecting strongly; they are trying to prevent “The Rape of Ukay”- let us hope they succeed and put shame on the MPAJ!
Comment by GC — April 6, 2007 @ 7:47 am