TTDI residents wrangle over gated concerns

A tug of war is brewing in the posh neighbourhood of Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) as one group is out to create a gated and guarded community while the other disagrees.

The TTDI Facebook page, its Google group and the local media has been abuzz with debates on the pros and cons of the guarded community concept.

A few months ago, a young man was held at knifepoint for a mere RM12 and a handphone. The five thugs on two motorcycles sped off within minutes and that was the last straw for the youth’s father Mohd Hatim Abdullah, the project co-ordinator of the TTDI guarded community committee.


Keeping an eye out: The guards in TTDI are equipped with motorcycles to patrol the area as well.
According to him, there were 60 cases of robberies and snatch thefts a month within the TTDI neighbourhood alone.

“A group of us decided to approach the resident’s association to set up the guarded community but we were told we could do it only if we do so for the whole of TTDI,” he said.

Initially, their plan was to set up the guarded community at high-risk areas like Rahim Kajai and Jalan Aminuddin Baki.

The response at Jalan Rahim Kajai was good but the rest of the TTDI residents were not in favour of the idea, although residents of Jalan Aminuddin Baki did join in later.

The group first put up barriers on Aug 16 but, three weeks later, were told to remove them by the police.

They were given verbal consent to go ahead as long as the guards only monitored cars driving in and out.

On Sept 15, the committee and the TTDI RA were called for a meeting with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to resolve the issue.

“We were told to write in with the proper planning and we hope to get a good boom gate to watch the cars,” Hatim said.

The RA and Hatim’s committee were told to get at least 85% support from the residents before putting up the barricades.

For now Lorong 5, 6, 3 and 2 of Rahim Kajai are monitored while Lorong 5 is blocked by barrels as the road is the common path used by snatch thefts to escape.

Hatim said once approval was given, it would allow the guards to stop cars and see the faces of the drivers before allowing them to proceed.

The residents have been given car stickers and the rate is RM50 a month to pay the guards.

From 10pm onwards, the two lanes are narrowed into one lane as not many cars pass through the road and at 6am the roads are opened as usual.

“Since we implemented the system, there have been no cases of crime but the people are still not convinced,” Hatim claimed.

The committee is also planning on providing different coloured stickers for those who are residents but are not paying for the services.

The stickers would allow them to move in and out of the area without being stopped.

Hatim added that when snatch thefts occur, neighbours and friends may witness the incident but they are too afraid to come out and help.

One of the residents who is against the guarded community said crime prevention was a task for the police and not the residents.

“You cannot barricade a road, it is against the law, people can take you to court and you would lose,” said the resident who declined to be named.

He added that in the case of safety, residents could place a guard inside their houses as it private property but placing them on the roads was not going to help.

The concerned resident added that if the guarded community porject goes on, within a few years all the streets would be crawling with security guards.

“These guards and their companies may turn out to be the villains if the demand for guards dwindles as the situation improves.

“They might start harassing the residents or resort to crime to secure their positions,” he said.

He believed the robbers were smart enough to figure out another way to start committing crimes again in spite of the added security.

He also said that if they do get the 85% approval from residents, the committee would have to inform the general public as well.

“They do not like others breaking the law but they themselves are breaking the law now, they should think about it,” he added.

The resident said instead of closing some of the smaller roads, they should consider monitoring the main entry points leading into the neighbourhood.

Another worrying issue for the resident was that the guards all seemed to be foreign workers.

TTDI RA president Datuk Abdul Latif Mohd Som commended the efforts of the residents but he was wary of the legal implications.

“In light of the increasing crime rate, beefing up security is definitely good but I feel that it is a job for the DBKL and the police,” he said.

He added that under the law, residents had no power to block a public road.

Latif added that when the residents have taken such an initiative, the RA would love to support them but it had to look into the regulations.

“The RA would be liable for law suits, especially the office bearers. They should come up with a law to safeguard RAs,” he said. He added the Parliament should review the policemen’s salaries and working conditions to encourage more to join the force.

Source: theStar: TTDI residents wrangle over gated concerns