Yayasan Perak should focus on protecting and promoting educational issues and stay away championing commercial ventures

Media statement by M. Kula Segaran MP Ipoh Barat and DAP National Vice Chairman together with YB Cheong Chee Khing (Bercham) in Ipoh on 16th December 2015

Yayasan Perak should focus on protecting and promoting educational issues and stay away championing commercial ventures.

Yesterday the objectors to the proposed rezoning of a housing area to Commercial zone presented their opinions as to why rezoning should not take place to the Committee of Inquiry(Town and Country planning) at MBI Ipoh.

Among the objections presented were:

1) It’s a unsound development;
2) Area not suitable for commercial development;
3) The purposes for rezoning are “perniagaan dan perkhidamatan”. These reasons/purposes are ambiguous and unclear;
4) Issue of density for use;
5) Traffic congestion;
6) The adjoining land being a girls school a commercial development will be hazardous for the students;
7) The school had applied for the land for usage as field some more then 20 years ago. But notwithstanding this the land was alienated to Yayasan Perak.
8) Insufficient buffer zone for commercial building more so the proposed are is a cul d sac
9) Local council failed to adhere to Local Agenda 21

We are glad today the Chairman of the inquiry Datuk Rusnah with the other members visited the area to witness the actual situation.

With the local residents and the school teachers, Headmistress M/s Sangree and PIBG Chairman Jayeseleen, we showed the committee the possible drawbacks if the proposed commercialization takes effect.

After more than an hour on the ground visit the Committee left promising a decision very soon.

What more should Yayasan Perak be obliged to promote other than its primary purpose and objective being to promote educational issues ? Why is it getting dragged into commercial dealings? What is the motive?
http://yayasanperak.gov.my/yayasanperak2/index.php/info-korporat/objektif andhttp://yayasanperak.gov.my/yayasanperak2/index.php/info-korporat/visi-misi

A holistic view of the whole propose rezoning to commercial purposes need to be looked into throughly. Priority for the land to be maintained for the school as a field and for the local resident’s usage has to be the most relevant factor.

M. Kula Segaran and Cheong Chee Khing