Sepang Council aims for speedier delivery system in Cyberjaya

The Town Council of Sepang (MPS) says it will take various measures to enhance the delivery system here including speedier issuance of licenses and business permits for the convenience of investors and residents of Cyberjaya.

As one of the stakeholders of Cyberjaya, MPS will continue to enhance facilities here to ensure that it is a reknown (renown - ed.) global IT town, MPS chief, Tuan Azizan Mohd Sidin said.

He said MPS regularly discussed with other stakeholders such as Setia Haruman, Cyberview Sdn Bhd and Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) towards its objectives for the town."At the moment, we have 416 MSC status companies operating here. From that, 30 are multinational companies (MNCs) and 386 companies are small and medium enterprises involved in the Information Technology (IT) business,” he said at a ground breaking ceremony for the development of Showroom@Cyberjaya here, today.

Also present at the function were Chairman of Kumpulan Emkay Tan Sri Mustapha Kamal Abu Bakar and Director of Lucky Cottage Sdn Bhd Peter Teh.
Tuan Azizan said Cyberjaya offered a completed enterprise space of 3.0 million sq ft excluding another 500,000 sq ft from MKN Embassy Techzone and 85,000 sq ft from Kumpulan Prima.

In terms of its population, Cyberjaya is unique as the MNCs here operate at odd and irregular hours, he said.

"We have about 35 workers in the day time and in the night about 14,000 people work. Hence, we also need recreational based night entertainment for the workers who comprise knowledge workers,” he said.

He also expressed hope that fast food restaurants such as McDonald, A&W and Burger King will take up tenancy at the upcoming Showroom@Cyberjaya building here.

KL City Plan 2020: KLites, time to speak up!

taken from nstonline:azira shaharuddin

KUALA LUMPUR: If you are unhappy with the air, the water, the streets you walk or issues related to the city, now is the time to speak out.

After more than 20 years of preparation, the Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020 is ready, and its draft copies can be viewed by the public from today.

The places to see the draft plans are City Hall (main lobby), Berjaya Times Square, TTDI Community Centre (library), KL Sentral (level 1), Gombak Community Centre, Carrefour Wangsa Maju (ground floor), Bandar Tun Razak Community Centre, Tesco Ampang, Kampung Kerinchi Community Centre, and Mid Valley City (level 1 and 2).

KLites have until June 30 to give their opinions on the draft plan to City Hall or voice their objections. After the deadline, the plan will be approved. Among the locations earmarked for development are Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Berjaya Times Square, TTDI Community Centre (library), KL Sentral station and Mid Valley City.
With the availability of the draft plan, the public can now have a good idea of how KL is going to be developed in the future.

Seputeh MP Teresa Kok said she hopes the views and requests of the public are accepted by City Hall and incorporated into the plan.

She urged members of the public to get a copy of the plan (which will be on sale from today), study it and voice their opinions.

Teresa said she was invited twice for meetings with City Hall to formulate the plan but she could not attend as the notice was given at the last minute.

"It gives the impression that Kuala Lumpur City Hall doesn't want to consult the MPs," she said.

Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai said: "Members of the public should get a copy of the book as this has important consequences on our way of living in the future.

He said the plan defines usage of land in the city and other important aspects of town planning such as public transport, basic amenities and green lungs.

He suggested that Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique allow all the Kuala Lumpur MPs to attend the meetings to study proposals and objections by KLites and residents' associations.

"We are representatives of the people, we know our areas well, he said.

Tan said he would meet soon with residents in Cheras and tell them what would happen to their neighbourhoods.

"I will gather their feedback and give it to City Hall on their behalf."

Local government and city planning expert, Derek Fernandez said the draft plan is a detailed zoning and development plan of Kuala Lumpur as required by law since 1984.

"It's an important plan to determine locations of the high rise projects, green lungs and many more. It's like the architect plan of a house such as the location of the bathroom, bedroom but on a bigger scale," he said.

Derek said if the Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2020 is approved with everything clearly spelt out, it would lead to fewer disputes with the residents and the local authorities.

"If the plan is too general, it can give rise to contentious issues. But once the plan is gazetted, there would be no more public hearing and the residents have to comply with everything in the plan," he said.

He said city folk should ask for the right to be heard even after the plan was approved as even the Petaling Jaya Local Draft Plan 1 allows it.

Expats go to court over 'dream homes'

An expatriate, who bought what he thought was his beach-front dream house, is taking his nightmare to court.

Roger Crowhurst, a 65-year-old journalist for a four-wheel-drive magazine, his wife from Sabah, Nyuk Ling@Semenanjit, and four other expatriate couples filed an application for judicial review against the Papar district council and the Local Government and Housing Ministry.

They are looking to have the respondents take responsibility for their homes in the Palm Beach Villas in Kinarut, which have been left in a dilapidated state. "We have been trying to get our developer to look into various aspects of our living conditions such as general maintenance, safety and common facilities servicing these villas, but they have declared themselves free of responsibility," said Crowhurst.

He said basic facilities such as lighting, road, drainage, security, garbage disposal, sea defence, and common facilities of the residential area had not been taken care of. The judicial review seeks to get the two respondents to take up the duties in respect to all the safety and administrative functions of the housing residence.

It also seeks to get the ministry to replace the management of the Papar district council and appoint a party to repair or demolish the boardwalk servicing the housing residence which had become dilapidated and hazardous. "When we bought the place, we were promised a paradise, but now it is not even decent living. "The boardwalk is damaged from coastal erosion, the beams are falling apart, the lights are out, no one is sweeping the debris on the road or collecting the rubbish, and no one is taking responsibility for all this.

"Everyone we approach says they are not responsible for our problems. We feel abandoned and after spending our hard-earned cash on these properties, we are getting a very raw deal," said Crowhurst. Rodney Parsons, a 60-year-old helicopter engineer who in here under the Malaysia My Second Home programme said that he was disappointed with the shoddy treatment from the authorities.

"We have asked several people to help with the repairs for six months, but nothing is being done," he said.

Source: http://www.emedia.com.my/detailnews.php?nid=918&cid=N01