Please Attend! MBPJ Town Hall Meeting with SPAD

There will be a meeting organized by MBPJ to discuss the MRT project. Officers from SPAD will be present.

Details are as below:

Date: Thursday, 28th April 2011
Time: 9:30am to 12:30pm
Place: Dewan Sivik, Majilis Perbandaran Petaling Jaya

Kindly be sure that your community is represented and that your voice is heard.
CLICK HERE to read the official notice.

Petition To Take MRT Underground

Our cause has recently been featured on Saturday's Star Metro.

By YIP YOKE TENG
teng@thestar.com.my

Residents of Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, Kota Damansara, Mutiara Damansara, Bandar Utama, Damansara Utama and Damansara Kim have started a signature campaign to urge the Government to bring the Sungai Buloh- Kajang MRT line underground.

They are concerned about the various impacts on the environment anticipated from the proposed elevated track and stations in the area.

They felt some stretches of the proposed alignment that are too close to the houses will lead to air, noise and water pollution as well as higher risk of crime. Also if the stations are not strategically located, it will worsen traffic conditions.

Sarma: We feel that as a country, we should not look at the MRT as a short-term investment.

The environmental impact assessment commissioned by the government has acknowledged the same concerns. Furthermore, businesses in certain areas may be affected.

Coordinator of the Joint Residents’ Associations Aaron Sarma said the residents felt taking the train lines underground would be the best option to prevent the potential problems.

He cited the Kelana Jaya and Ampang Park LRT stations as examples, adding that the size of the new stations are expected to be three times that of the LRT.

“Building the MRT underground means you can place the station at the most strategic points. Traffic can therefore be reduced as there is less need to ferry the passengers to the stations.

“The Kelana Jaya LRT station is plagued by parking woes and traffic congestions while the case is less serious at the Ampang Park station as it is located right underneath the centre of activities,” he said.

He added the authorities had objected to an underground MRT due to high costs, but it would be a necessary investment for the long run.

“We feel that as a country, we should not look at it as a short-term investment. Singapore’s MRT has been running for 30 years while London’s Underground has been in operation since 1985*.

“Also, going underground has other cost advantages. It is expandable, and you do not need to go around buildings and highways. Furthermore, Bandar Utama City Corporation director Datuk Teo Chiang Kok has agreed to adopt the station at Bandar Utama.

“You can place the stations right at the catchment area if they are underground. For instance, you can have one station in between 1Utama and The Curve shopping malls, instead of putting it at Sri Pentas which is awkward,” he said.

The group is reaching out to more people under an effort called the Klang Valley MRT Watch, which is publicised through an official blog (kvmrtwatch.blogspot.com), Facebook (gounderground) and Twitter (@kvmrtwatch).

They target to get at least 20,000 signatures for the petition.

A separate online petition has also been started, it has already received 213 signatures in three weeks after it was put up.

The petition will be submitted to Land Transport Commission (SPAD) in May, closing date of the petition is April 30.

For further details, email kvmrtwatch@gmail.com

CLICK HERE to read it on The Star Online

*Note: There may be a slight confusion with regards to when the London Underground was built. The official London Underground website says that while the London Underground was formed under a body called the London Regional Charter in 1985, the first underground train  was built between Paddington and Ferringdon Street in 1863.  Therefore this makes the underground 148 years old. 

No more secrets, please

Columnist Leow Mei Chern, made mention of this blog in the pages of The Sun. 

"We waste a lot of time in trying to access information to make informed decisions. The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) has promised to consider all feedback obtained during the three-month period before proceeding with the MRT project. A transparent process and longer period for feedback would certainly enable communities to better organise themselves; a factor perhaps deemed as a hindrance if one needs to expedite a project.


Despite the less than favourable conditions for communities to take part in meaningful ways, residents associations in parts of Klang Valley have come together to make a united stand and petition at http://kvmrtwatch.blogspot.com/, calling for a responsible implementation of the MRT and outlining reasons why it should go underground. We must engage and hold decision-makers to account."

For the full article please CLICK HERE

TTDI residents prefer MRT underground

Originally posted in the Star on the 26th of February 2011

I WRITE in support of ‘Unite for a better MRT’ (The Star, Feb 24) for the authorities to consider constructing the MRT underground.

The cost of construction is said to be more than double compared with the overhead one but in the long run the benefits will be substantial. Please give it due consideration.

I live in Pinggir Zaaba, Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), at the section where the MRT will most likely run parallel to my house.

My neighbours and I will face the brunt of the noise and environmental pollution that comes with this possible route.

I think it is very unkind and thoughtless to call us selfish, anti-development and anti-progress. Most of my neighbours (many are senior citizens) have contributed in many ways to the progress and success of Malaysia.

If going underground for MRT is NOT an option, can the authorities consider re-allocating us elsewhere in the TTDI area? This is a win-win situation.

The MRT can acquire the existing area of our houses to convert to carparks, condominiums, shops and gardens.

Progress will be visible and blooming and we, the residents, will be spared the unbearable pollution and remain happy Malaysians.

Go 1Malaysia!

RETIREE @ PINGGIR ZAABA, Kuala Lumpur.

Click HERE to read it on The Star's website

Public Transport: Underground MRT can cut noise, dirt

Originally posted in the New Straits Times on the 25th of February 2011 by Zhang. C. G. 


I REFER to Ted Tugal's letter, "MRT plan deserves our support" (NST, Feb 23).
He missed the point. Overall, residents, especially in Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Kota Damansara, are not against the mass rapid transit project.

The call is for the elevated track to go underground. The elevated track running over the Persiaran Surian and Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong will have trains running metres away from thousands of homes, making it intolerable to live due to noise and pollution, and the frequency of trains passing through every few minutes.

It is not that there are no alternative solutions. There are well-based and sound reasons for going underground.
Firstly, the MRT track is a "retro-fit", being force-squeezed over narrow road reserves. Poor planning has resulted in no provision of MRT reserves with buffers.

It would cost more to go underground, but the long-term benefits must override the short-term cost savings of construction. The noise and pollution would be permanent and damage would be recurring if this is not done. The scarring of the vista and the blocking of sunlight are also long-term detrimental factors.

The call of residents like me is for a holistic evaluation of the options.

Click HERE to read it on the NST Website

Residents want MRT underground

More residents support our case for an underground MRT.


Here's an article from the Star:
"ABOUT 50 residents from Bukit Bandaraya in Bangsar had a meeting with the authorities over the proposed Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Sungai Buloh-Kajang line, particularly along the Sprint Highway stretch."


Click HERE to read the full article.

Backbencher Cautions Over Anticipated Higher Cost Of MRT Project

From BERNAMA:

"The (feasibility) study has yet to be done, but the tender forms are already out. I feel that while we go for greater urbanisation of cities to become a developed nation, the government should not get sidetracked into developing one area and neglecting another ... Focusing on rail communication and not improving the bus services will not solve the (transportation) problem. Furthermore, the MRT stations are not going to be linked to other stations such as KL Sentral which serves the LRT (Light Rail Transit), commuter and rail services to the rural areas," 

Datuk Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan)

Read the full article HERE