Subang plot ratio violated

Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) full board meeting last Thursday endorsed two development projects that will increase local plot ratio to six, which is higher than the allowed number.

Council president Asmawi Kasbi granted a greenlight to the two high rise projects, one in USJ 1 while the other was in Seri Kembangan, despite the disagreement from several councillors.

Councillor for JKP zone 3 (USJ2-15) Rajiv Rishyakaran pointed out that the projects will violate the plot ratio guideline of not more than four, as written in the MPSJ Local Plan 2020.

“If the guideline is not adhered to, it is a waste for us to do the guideline,” he (right) said.

Plot ratio is a formula that defines the number of times a land can build up to. The higher the number is, the higher density the area will be.

JKP zone 4 councillor Roslan Shahir immediately dismissed the scene of a crowded community, saying that the USJ1 developer will build an exit road to Kesas highway as the answer to the raised plot ratio.

Rishyakaran, however, said there is always a chance to find developers who are willing to build roads while maintaining the plot ratio of four.

“It is unnecessary to approve project with plot ratio of six in order to get a road,”

“As far as I am concern, the assemblywoman (Hannah Yeoh) has never endorsed projects with plot ratio higher than the standard guideline,”

Roslan responded by saying residents have given consent to the project.

“Developer has done a briefing and eight residents representatives have agreed to the project with a condition of getting an exit road to Kesas,”

“We need millions of Ringgit to build the road. Without the required plot ratio, they won’t have the margin to build us the road,” he said.

USJ 1 residents are living in a semi-isolated community as there is only an entrance road from Kesas Highway to the place (below) while connections to other areas are mainly through Persiaran Kewajipan which is highly congested.

Asmawi later upheld the decision of granting approval, but he noted that the plot ratio guideline should be treated more seriously next time.

Lake committee to monitor indiscriminate dumping

Meanwhile, the council vowed to improve the lake monitoring subcommittee under Urban Service Department in view of growing concerns of recreational lake being made a dump site.

Councillor Ng Sze Han, who raised the issue, said many lakes in the municipality are severely polluted as the result of lax enforcement and indiscriminate dumping.

Asmawi later told reporters that the council will redefine job scope of the current lake monitoring subcommittee pertaining to its function, number of members and mechanism to carry out the works.

He said six recreational lakes are under MPSJ’s purview while others are belongs to relevant developers.