Residents of Ipoh Garden East are going all out to ensure the proposed columbarium project in Taman Kemuncak does not see the light of day while there is still time and hope. Rather than sleep in on a Sunday morning, residents in the quiet housing area, which is made up of Taman Kemuncak and nearby Taman Kaya and Taman Perak, came out in droves to “exorcise” the controversial project for the dead recently. Young and old, armed with posters and banners, had started gathering in front of the proposed site as early as 9am. By 9.15am, their numbers had swelled to over 300. Under the watchful eyes of a few policemen, the residents kept chanting ‘no’ against the project, which even the nearby mountains seemed to echo.
Taman Kaya resident Augustine Anthony told reporters that the residents would hold a protest outside the Ipoh City Council building should the council continue to delay its decision on the proposal.
“The council was supposed to have given us an answer after the July 29 public hearing but till now, we have no answers.
“It has happened too many times where a decision is postponed till the issue dies off,” said Augustine.
During the public hearing, council secretary Datuk Abdul Rahim Md Ariff had promised residents that they would be told of the outcome on Aug 10.
The decision was, however, deferred as Datuk Bandar Datuk Roshidi Hashim was away in China on a working trip.
Upon his return, Roshidi had told reporters that the council had yet to decide on the matter as it was still studying the technical aspects of the proposal.
“Roshidi has done a lot of good things for Ipoh. We ask him to maintain that reputation,” said Augustine.
Businessman Lee Chee Seng, 58, also from Taman Kaya, questioned why banners put up by residents in protest of the project were removed whereas posters put up by “ah longs” were not taken down by the council.
“The residents had put up two banners on Saturday night but they were gone by Sunday morning,” he said.
When contacted, Abdul Rahim said the council was calling for yet another meeting in September to discuss the proposal as there were still technical issues to be looked into.
By CHAN LI LEEN
lileen@thestar.com.my
Source: starproperty.my