"The area is so small that getting in and out of my house has become a daily struggle" - RESIDENT TAN KIM HONG

RESIDENTS of a small residential area in 4th Mile Jalan Kelang Lama hope Kuala Lumpur City Hall would come up with a solution to a long-standing dispute between them and a nearby school. 

The subject of the 10-year-old dispute is a road, which is the only access road leading into SRJK (C) Choong Wen and the residents’ homes. 

The 12.2m-wide road and its reserve, on land belonging to City Hall, is used by everyone, including teachers, parents, students and residents living in the area.  

However, in 1999, the school authority encroached into the road reserve and built a brick wall, thus reducing the road to just 7.3m wide.  

“That’s when our nightmare started,’’ said 68-year-old Tan Kim Hong, who said that congestion and traffic jams had become a norm in her neighbourhood.  

“The area is so small that getting in and out of my house has become a daily struggle,’’ she said.  

Another resident who only wished to be identified as Madam Hong said the road had become so narrow that vehicles were constantly backing up into her front gate.  

“It’s become a nuisance and there’s always people bickering for parking space,” added Hong.  

Empty promise: Tan Kim Seng showing the letter he received from City Hall seven years ago saying that action will be taken ‘soon’.

Another resident, 64-year-old Tan Kim Seng, said that he had written numerous letters to City Hall over the past 10 years seeking clarification.  

“In fact, a City Hall spokesman even wrote to me saying that a notice was sent to the school management directing it to demolish the retaining wall but the school did not comply with the directive,” said Tan, adding that the directive was given seven years ago.  

“Why does it take so long for something to be done?’’ asked Tan.  

“We have been waiting for a long time and I’m not giving up yet,” he added.