Jalan Gelenggang

A year ago, a little restaurant along Jalan Gelenggang in Damansara Heights was ordered by DBKL to close down. They sent 3 big trucks and about 30 personnel to do the job.

This happened despite numerous appeals to the DBKL Town Planning Department.

According to Puan Fajariah Bt. Sulaiman of the Town Planning Department, the restaurant has caused traffic congestion along Jalan Gelenggang. Hence, they will not approve any restaurant along Jalan Gelenggang and Lorong Dungun. This despite, the area was zoned for commercial use.

The owner of the little restaurant wrote to the director of Town Planning, Tuan Hj. Mahadi bin Che Ngah and invited him to send his officers to be stationed at the restaurant, to find out for themselves, if the customers indeed caused traffic congestion.

Alas, no response. You know, they were not interested. They had their mind made up.

It is understood by all those who reside or work around that area, the traffic congestion along Jalan Gelenggang and Jalan Dungun was caused, predominantly by the college buses and parents’ cars who would simply just double or triple park, waiting to pick up the students or their kids who study in Help Institute University, located right opposite the little restaurant.

When this issue was raised with Town Planning Department, it turned to their deaf ears.

I was told by the owner of that little restaurant, on that fated day, he asked the lead officer Puan Fajariah, who was present at the scene, what about the other few restaurants along Lorong Dungun? Would she dare close them down since a Tun’s son owns one of them, the other a Datuk’s son? She replied, “Tun tak Tun, kena tutup juga” (Tun or no Tun, must close down)

She said those 2 other restaurants would be closed by the end of March 2007.

Today, the 2 restaurants are still happily running business. One of them will blast loud music on some weekends, causing such stress to the residents around that area.

Oh ya, there is a new restaurant being set up since closure of the little one.

You know what, the traffic around there is worst then ever.

I guess, it makes a difference whether you are a Tun or Datuk!