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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Guarded neighbourhoods must follow guidelines

Tuesday, July 26, 2011, 11.53 PM

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Guarded neighbourhoods must follow guidelines

2011/07/25

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WHAT is a guarded neighbourhood?

MASHITA
Kuala Lumpur

an Sri Ahmad Fuad Ismail: Many neighbourhoods have launched their own initiatives to protect themselves and their properties by employing private security firms to guard their housing estates. However, criticism is rife as security booths or guardhouses are often installed at strategic entrances and exits of housing estates, with some having boom gates that prevent easy access and exit.

Guarded neighbourhoods (GN) are communities of residents with individual titles in a partially or fully-controlled area in a new or existing housing scheme. However, the existence of current GNs in and around KL is not based on laws or guidelines.

The GN scheme provides security services with or without a guardhouse. According to the law, this type of service does not allow for any physical barriers to be set up on public roads or restrict the access of residents and members of the public going in or out of the guarded premises.

Ad-hoc GN schemes have created problems among residents and communities. Some are to do with the construction of guardhouses at strategic entrances and exits, installation of barriers on public road, closing of back lanes and side lanes, construction of perimeter fencing in the form of walls or chain links; and requiring the public to release personal documents such as identity cards or driving licences to the security guard.

Currently, 97 areas have been identified as having security booth services in Kuala Lumpur. From 2006 to now, only 30 have received the approval of City Hall.

The outcome of the meeting to set up a special committee on guardhouse security states that the committee will be writing to Residents Associations’ of areas with no GN approval to send an official request to be evaluated by the committee which holds periodic meetings. If these applications do not adhere to the guidelines, the association concerned must make changes according to the guidelines. The application will be approved if there are no problems.

The applicant (registered Residents’ Association and others) is required to submit a written application to City’s Urban Transport department, fill in a form and provide relevant documents, for example a list of names and signatures of residents who agree with the proposed plan for the location of the guardhouse in the residential area.

I believe city folk have the freedom to decide whether to have their areas guarded or not but we must act within the law and according to the guidelines provided.

This will prevent inconvenience to members of the public and avert fatal incidents like the one where an unmanned locked barricade hindered the fire and rescue services from reaching a burning house in a guarded neighbourhood resulting in the loss of lives.

I urge Residents’ Associations to take the initiative to find out more about the guarded neighborhood concept and how to obtain approva;

I wish Muslim readers Selamat Berpuasa. — datukbandar@dbkl.gov.my

Thursday, July 21, 2011

BARRIERS REMOVED

Barriers to come down

All entrances to Taman Desa Phase One to stay open pending City Hall decision

FAIZAL NOR IZHAM

Thursday, July 21st, 2011 10:23:00

UNITED WE STAND: Taman Desa Phase One RA committee members show their unwavering support for the new security measures — Pix: Salhani Ibrahim

CITY HALL will remove all barriers set up by the Taman Desa Phase One Residents Association (Phase One RA), which are blocking four of the six entrances into their neighbourhood.

According to City Hall, the entrances will remain open until the RA's application to implement its new security measures is approved.

"Their application, submitted in April, is being reviewed," says City Hall's Urban Transport Department deputy director Abdul Hamid Surip.

Phase One RA president JACK LEW, 68, says he will abide by City Hall's decision despite his disappointment.

PHANG: Authorities briefed on how to enter at night

LEW: New measures are for betterment of community

"I trust City Hall is trying to do the right thing," says the engineer.

"However, I hope it will bear the cost of dismantling the barriers and ensure security at night, as car thefts often happen during this time."

Lew also hopes all parties involved will come to an amicable solution at some point.

"Phase One RA is merely trying to implement these measures for the betterment of the community," he says.

LINA KOH, who complained about the barriers, says she is pleased with City Hall's quick response.

"I believe it has made the right decision that is in accordance with the law," she says.

On Tuesday, Hotline reported that because of the closure of four of the six entrances, some residents feared for their safety in case of an emergency, such as a fire or the need for an ambulance.

Phase One RA was formed after the committee members of the original residents association could not agree over fees for security guards. The new RA, covering about half the neighbourhood, closed the four entrances from 10pm to 6am to save cost.

There are 11 guards patrolling the area -- seven from 6am to 10pm and four from 10pm to 6am.

According to LINA, some of the residents' children are turning up late for school as they have to travel further in order to exit.

She says the newly-formed RA does not have the right to control the area and manage its financial matters as it has yet to receive approval from the authorities to do so.

However, Phase One RA insists its decision to seal off the guard posts is because of the rampant crime.

On Tuesday night, about 20members of Phase One RA met up with Hotline. They say they have been trying to implement the new security measures since April after finding the services of two previous security companies ineffective.

"We also briefed the Taman Desa Medical Centre, the local fire department and the police, which is five minutes away, on how to enter the area at night in emergencies," says Taman Desa Rukun Tetangga secretary PHILIP PHANG, 48.

He says Rukun Tetangga members among the residents join in the patrols from 10pm to 2am as an additional security measure. Their chairman is long-time resident SIVA AHNATHAN, 68, formerly of the MACC.
Four closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras have been installed in each guardhouse.

"We also meet to discuss security issues every Friday and have a blog (www.tdp1ra.blogspot.com) to distribute community news," says PHILIP.

Only one crime incident has been reported in the neighbourhood from April 1, 2010 to March 22, 2011. None has been reported since March 23.

"We are trying to establish ourselves as a model neighbourhood in terms of crime prevention, something the government had proposed a few years ago," he says.

CITY HALL'S RESPONSE

CITY HALL assures Phase One RA its application to implement the new security measures will be authorised within the next three months.

"Overall, 97 neighbourhoods in KL have made similar applications in writing and 30 have been approved," says its Urban Transport Department deputy director Abdul Hamid Surip.

"Twenty of the remaining 67 will soon be processed."

Applications for new measures must be implemented according to the new set of guidelines introduced by City Hall last September.

"For example, if this RA wishes to use barriers at their guardhouses, they must first obtain our approval through the Neighbourhood Coordination and Control Committee," he says.

"We will approach the RA and inform them what to do if they wish to continue leaving the four roads obstructed."

WHY RA WANTS TO CLOSE ACCESS ROADS

Car thefts, robberies and motorcycle snatch thefts were common over the past two years.
Ninety per cent of car thefts happened at night.
In the daytime, robbers would first observe the area before entering an empty house. They would also study the guards' movements.

Pages

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Guarded neighbourhoods must follow guidelines

Guarded neighbourhoods must follow guidelines

Thursday, July 21, 2011

BARRIERS REMOVED

Barriers to come down

CITY HALL'S RESPONSE

WHY RA WANTS TO CLOSE ACCESS ROADS