According to MPKj engineering, development and infrastructure department general technical assistant Nor Haslinda Tajudin, the council has allocated RM1mil each for industrial parks in Desa Serdang, Taming Jaya, and Bukit Angkat, Sungai Chua.
“Funds were obtained from the Selangor state economic planning unit (UPEN). It will be used to upgrade and widen the roads, improve the drainage system, repair street lights and signboards as well as add traffic lights.
“Work has begun at the three industrial areas on May 25 and will be completed by July 28. This is the first major upgrading in Taming Jaya,” she said.
It was observed that the roads in Taman Taming Jaya are ridden with potholes and there was garbage dumped at the road signs.
According to Taming Jaya Industrial Park Association chairman A K Woo, this is the first upgrading work to be carried out in 20 years.
“Other than fixing the potholes, the road conditions have never been upgraded. About 70% of the street lights arefaulty. We have filed complaints but in vain.
“The traffic condition here is chaotic as there are no traffic lights. It’s like a cowboy town, whoever is faster will win.
“We also face security problems such as thefts. We hired security guards in 2008 and the crime rate decreased but we stopped employing their services due to lack of funds as not everyone chipped in for the security fees, which costs RM2,000 per month,” he said.
Ooi Hock Lai, a committee member of the association, pointed out that there has been theft of underground cables for the past two to three years.
Balakong assemblyman Yap Lum Chin is pleased with the plans to improve the road conditions and amenities in the area as the factory owners in the industrial area have been complaining about the problems.
“There will also be works to improve the road conditions in Batu 11 and Taman Murni. We will follow-up on the progress,” he said.
Also present was Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching and Industrial Park Management Committee Balakong chairman Kenneth Gorden Ng.
On a separate matter, Selesa Jaya Industrial Park Association chairman H Y Lew raised the issue of factory owners blocking the back lanes with machines and goods.
“This will pose a safety risk in case of an emergency and it has been going on for one to two years. We have yet to talk to the owners as they are often not at the factories and only their workers are there,” he said.
According to an MPKj enforcement officer who was also present, the factory owners will be given two weeks to clear the back lanes or face a compound of RM1,000.