Folks! It's time for you to have your voice heard. Vote for how much you want to pay for better security. The previous poll was too general but the overall result was that more were willing to pay RM3 per day.
To be fair, affordability differs from one household to another. So, there is now a detailed poll for you by category and you have about a month to do so. Please choose your category and vote accordingly at the poll on the left column here.
Please feel free to comment as well and you may do so by clicking comment at the end of this post. As long as the comments are apparently genuine, they will be published. Perspectives differ as one may say it costs only a glass of teh tarik or two a day.
Best regards,
Orang Seputeh
Towards A More Secure Future
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
11 comments:
I was interested to learn from the posters around Taman Seputeh about the establishment of this community blog - an initiative that I think is very worthwhile.
However, I think it would have more value if residents were able to register to post items directly to the blog rather than being limited to leaving comments (which don't appear directly on the blog and can only be read if the 'comments' link is clicked).
This would encourage a greater range of issues to be raised. (If such a privilege is misused by anyone, the posts can still be deleted from the blog and that poster blocked from posting directly in the future).
For example, although I am interested to read the many posts about security (which to date make up nearly 100% of the posts) they don't directly affect me and my family as much as other residents because we live in the Sri Langit Condo which has very good security (I should add that we are permanent residents and have owned our apartment since it was built - we are not tenants).
There are however other issues that I would like to see discussed in the community blog from time to time.
For example, I would be interested to know if anyone knows why several large trees were cut down in Jalan Taman Seputeh this week (one just to the east of Sri Langit and one a little further down the road to the west towards the Japan Club). These are not the first to be cut down along this stretch.
One of the benefits that these trees provide is that when you walk along Jln Tmn Seputeh you can do so in the shade for most of the way (and for the homeowners they help to keep their houses cool).
Whilst I realise that from time to time trees have to be removed if they are attacked by white ants, neither of these trees showed any signs of such attack (this can be determined by examining the stumps that remain).
Occasionally the reason for street trees having to be removed may not be apparent (such as their roots having penetrated drainage pipes) but more often than not the reason for street trees being cut down in KL is that there are a few dangerous branches that need to be removed, but DBKL is too lazy to prune them - cutting down the tree is an easier option which means they don't have to worry about the cost of pruning it again in the future.
When I see apparently healthy street trees being cut down I like to try and find out whether it was for a valid reason or whether the DBKL chain saw gang had got carried away again.
There is not much point in ringing DBKL to find out - I have tried that before and nobody can ever give you a straight answer - so that's why I was wondering whether any of the residents whose homes are adjacent to the trees that were cut down know of the reason.
David Astley (banyanman@gmail.com)
This is in response to Davids curiosity over why several trees have been cut down along Jalan Taman Seputeh. Please take note that while we all love to have shady trees around the type of trees planted for this purpose is not at all suitable for two reasons . One the trees have over grown their shady usefulness. this will only be apparent if you actually live along the road. Two, these trees shed leaves constantly.
Residents along the road are probably the only ones who realise the problems these trees cause. Of course the SRA have been informed numerous times and 'talks' were underway to have the trees replaced with more suitable ones. However the wait has been too long. Please take note that the two trees cut down by city hall have long been leafless and dead probably victims of fustrated residents. After all city hall has mentioned that they cannot cut down the trees only trim them.
Thanks for the information, Mark, about the tress being dead - I hadn't noticed that (the big one down by the bus stop must have had leaves on not so long ago as I always used to think how nice it was shading the footpath when walking down to Mid Valley on a hot day).
I was aghast though to learn that the SRA has been lobbying to have all the trees cut down. And I have to disagree with you about the trees having "over grown their shady usefulness". It is at their present size that they are most useful as they provide shade to gardens and houses and this reduce the temperature in the houses along the street (yes, I know I live in a condo at the moment, but I have lived in plenty of houses with street trees outside).
A colleague of mine in PJ had a tree cut down outside his house because he was fed up cleaning leaves from his gutters, but it wasn't until the tree had gone that he realised how much it had reduced the temperature in his house. He now runs his airconditioner all day and it costs him a fortune. He says he wishes he had never asked for the tree to be cut down. It would have been cheaper to pay someone to come and clean his gutters from time to time than pay the extra electricity bill.
Apart from reducing ambient temperatures, street trees collect dust and add to the aesthetic value of the suburb (and thus enhance property values).
The trees need to be pruned from time to time to ensure that dead branches don't come off in high winds, but I'd be horrified to see all the trees on Jalan Taman Seputeh disappear.
They look to me to be a pretty suitable species for street trees (are they African mahoghanies?) as they don't drop branches too often like the Angsana trees along Jalan Syed Putra do - which I know is why DBKL is replacing those progressively (but replacing them with hibiscus bushes as they have done in some places is silly).
You mention that talks had been underway to 'replace' the trees along Jln Tmn Seputeh - but I note none of those cut down to date have been replaced with anything.
You also complain about the trees dropping leaves constantly. But all trees drop leaves. That's part of the cycle of nature. Yes, it means you have to clean out gutters from time to time, but isn't that a reasonable trade-off to keep your house cool (free of charge - courtesy of mother nature)? And the leaves will make excellent compost for your garden - again saving you money on fertilisers.
Regards . . . David
Hi Mark & David
Let us not assume that SRA is lobbying to cut down the trees. I think SRA is a friend of the environment. There must be reasons. So it's best to ask the folks at SRA committee.
Hi Orang Seputeh & David,
Let us not get confused and fear for the poor trees. First I was informed by an SRA member a few years ago that the trees were to be replaced. What the replacement would be I do not know, bunga raya seems to be silly to me too but let me emphasize this was a few years ago. My last complain to SRA was met with the usual "call DBKL yourself" advice. The purpose of a residents association I think is to look at matters and find a suitable solution. An association has a more powerful voice when dealing with city hall ,PDRM etc but unfortunately SRA seems to hand out rather unhelpful advice instead. Individuals can only make complains that will have trees cut or pruned not replaced as in the latest case. A look at the tree at jalan 2 that has been pruned today will make you realise what I mean by out grown its usefullness. David , your intentions are good but like SRA your ideas and examples are not useful or funny to those of us who have had to deal with this problem. Anyway I have been informed by DBKL that all trees will be pruned in August.David if you like please email me and I can give you a better explanation about the tree situation and Im quite sure you will see my point more clearly.
I also hope that residents can maybe form a more effective comitee to deal with various issues.
PS: I wonder if anyone else has noticed the sorry state of the grilled pathway to midvalley . Im not sure whose brilliant idea the grills and plants to make the area safe was but like most things it too has fallen into a state of neglect and looks more unsafe now.
Hi Mark,
I wasn't trying to be 'funny' in any way in my previous comments - just to present my point of view. As a person who has participated in many volunteer groups over many years to plant street trees to help beautify our urban surroundings, it saddens me to see such trees removed unless there are good reasons. I don't think you would be able to convince me that a tree should be removed because it sheds leaves.
But if there are other factors that you think that I am not aware of, in terms of issues that you feel justify the removal of street trees, then I would be very pleased to hear your point of view. As an ex-journalist who has had many articles published on the subjects of urban beautification and landscaping, I am keen to express views that are balanced and objective. So if I can learn from your input, that will be helpful to me.
Yes, let's have an exchange offline (we can perhaps present a summary of our views online at a later date). You can write to me at banyanman@gmail.com
Cheers . . . David
Yes, I agree with your comments about the grilles on the road down to Mid-Valley. I walked down there last week and all the grilles were gone - there are now just gaping holes in the ground - very dangerous for anyone walking there at night-time.
hi david
Here are a few factors you should take into account. First do remember Seputeh is an old residential area with a fair number of folks far older than the trees there. The majority of them are pensioners and some can no longer spend their retirement days raking leaves due to health reasons.At the same time do remember that for some like myself, work keeps me away from home till late and off days are far to precious to spend on something that if planned well wouldnt be a problem.Do not forget that the cost of cleaning gardens and gutters as well as repairs to roofs by hired hands are not cheap especially with the rising cost of living here.I cant remember when exactly these trees were planted but why were these particular trees choosen I do not know. Im sure in Gods great forest there must be other better options. As I mentioned in earlier posts I do not want a barren Seputeh but a better maintained one. As you are well versed on issues regarding landscaping Im sure you can see this. A good example is the junction of Jalan 1. Another half baked attempt at saftey and beautification has turned into a more dangerous and ugly sight purely because of the attitude and lack of planning by those involved. This is sadly the Malaysian way of things. I do hope that the community security project which is thankfully not handled by menbers of the SRA does not go down the same path. I will sign up for it soon but this is mine and Im sure a few others main concern.
Will email you my contact David. Mind you, you might have to take an early morning stroll to see what I mean.
cheers
Dear Mark,
I will let David respond to you, whether online or offline.
As for the security initiative, it is definitely very much alive but please sign up soon. If possible, this week. You may contact Mr Robert Quah or Mr Wilson Szeto to pass your form.
It's a case of more shoulders, less burden.
You will hear from the SSTF in July, that's for sure.
Best Regards,
Towards a More Secure Future
Orang Seputeh
orang seputeh
will do once i get the form. Is there anyway of posting pix here? Its relating to the condition of the path to midvalley. Does SRA actually have a website/blog?? Is SRA still alive?
Dear Mark,
Please email your pix to seputeh.residents@gmail.com.
As for your security form to sign up, you can contact any of the SSTF folks. Their email addresses have been posted last month but here they are again:
Chairman: Mr Robert Quah quahrobert@yahoo.com, robertquah@myjaring.net
Deputy Chairman: Mr K.K. Hum humkk@hotmail.com
Secretariat Head: Ms Cynthia Hor cynhor@yahoo.com
Honorary Treasurer: Mr Wilson Szeto wszeto70@hotmail.com
Publicity Head: Mr Deepak Gharpuray deg@apl.no
As requested earlier, it's best you contact Robert or Wilson as they are in your immediate vicinity.
Best regards,
I came across a Malay Mail article on the re-routing of the traffic at Brickfields that will have a profound impact on the present entry to Taman Seputeh from PJ via the Federal Highway.
The article is linked below;
http://www.mmail.com.my/content/16526-brickfields-residents-want-more-time
"Motorists coming from PJ and want to exit to Taman Seputeh will be rerouted in order to get to the housing scheme as the road leading up the ramp towards Brickfields will be closed. Motorists will have to use the ramp that leads into Jalan Tun Sambanthan 4 next to the Brickfields monorail station, then go through Jalan Tun Sambanthan before reaching Taman Seputeh."
What it seems to say is that we'll have to take some ridiculous route through Brickfields before we can enter Seputeh.
Post a Comment