Saturday April 3, 2010
Church in a dilemma over wall and barricade
By PRIYA MENON
priya@thestar.com.my
THE Jesus Caritas Catholic Church parishioners have not been able to conduct service for months now after its certificate of fitness was put on hold over several problems.
The problems involving the remodelling of the 30-year-old church stems from neighbours, a wall as well as a barricade built within the church grounds without permission.
The church began renovations in 2006 with three main entrances, in Jalan Metro Prima main road, Jalan Mergastua and Jalan Kuang Cermin.
A monsoon drain built on the church land forced the engineers and consultants to build a RM30,000 bridge across it to connect the entrance of the church to Jalan Kuang Cermin.
No access: The fencing blocking the bridge connecting the church and Jalan Kuang Cermin
However, residents have blocked the entrance with a fence and boom gate as well as a guardhouse further down the road. They have an approval from the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) despite the sanctioned proposal for the church’s entrance.
“They were given the approval for a guardhouse even after our building proposal was approved by the DBKL,” said the consultant architect for Kiet Hiew Architect, Z.S Zackaria.
Along Jalan Mergastua, a big wall has been built inside the church compounds by some neighbours.
The wall is blocking the exit from the church leading to Jalan Mergastua. Just behind the two- metre wall outside the church, the end lot neighbour has placed his dog’s kennel at his convenience.
“The neighbour’s workers came in through our hoarding and began laying bricks for the foundation. I confronted them saying that they are trespassing on private property but they ignored me,” said Zackaria.
When the matter was brought up, Zackaria’s engineers devised a plan for the church cars to exit to Jalan Metroprima through a sound barrier built some time ago in front of the church.
However, DBKL’s public works department director Siti Saffur said it was too dangerous.
To resolve the matter, all parties have agreed to a meeting with the DBKL planning department, the public works department and the consultants.
The church committee has taken the matter up to Deputy Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk M. Saravanan who also chairs the temple and devotional sites committee.
Saravanan has urged the church committee to write a letter asking for the barricades on both sides to be removed.
