The following is the contents of a email to me. The writer shall remain anonymous.
Hi Teresa,
Hope to find you in good health but am sorry to have to bring up some grouses regarding temples in residential areas.
The example I am going to use is Oversea Union Garden which is your constituency and I really hope that you can help. I will go straight to the point.
In the whole of OUG there are quite a few temples for an area of this size and it has always made me wonder how approvals are being given to convert a resident into a temple as most of these temples are in terrace houses and traffic is horrendous during whatever functions the temples hold. Would really like to know how approvals are given. This is especially so since the main road of OUG is linked to KESAS.
Whatever feedback I had from people who have to live next door to these temples, you can imagine the inconveniences (to put it mildly), they have to put up with. But as usual with us Asians particularly Chinese, they will not dare come out and complain in case they get bad luck. The the relevant authorities are also blind and deaf as it seems there is no enforcement and they have been BLINDED by $$$.
The following is a ‘temple’ (although the followers told the next door neighbour its only for visiting monks to stay), on the corner lot of Jalan Hujan. They have been holding ‘small’ functions since they start operating about 11/2 to 2 years ago whenever the monks come (very likely from Tibet).
The temple is presently holding (or going to in the next 2 days), as of now there are prayers going on. So I and the residents around here would really appreciate it if you can investigate this issue immediately (lastest these 2 days) especially in the evening around 6 to 8.30pm (I think). The followers are inconsiderate blocking traffic of the roads, houses and rubbish after functions are not put in properly places that rubbish truck can clear causing stray dogs to drag it around for weeks as rubbish is mainly food in styrofoam. PLEASE I AM NOT EXAGGERATING!
Frankly speaking, the issue of this temple has been highlighted to your office and even to your personal assistant (Mei something) before but nothing has been done by you or DBKL. All I can say is please come and take a look for yourself.
The other issue I hope you will help is regarding the main road that is now linked to KESAS.
1. Can there some humps (to slow down traffic), before and after the junctions as it is almost impossible for cars to cross and so that cars/ motorcycles cannot race along the road (presently occurring);
2. As this road is only a LINK to the ‘highway’, KESAS, I am very sure there is a bylaw that says heavy vehicles and buses (please exclude school buses), are not allowed on residential roads. These vehicles rushes along this road at the speeds of 80 – 100km, if not more. They destroy the road, create so much noise and are operating from about 5am to sometimes about 10pm even on weekends. There is also restrains on the usage of horns at all hours of the day.
I have personally seen 40 tons trucks and lorries making U turns along the junctions.
3. OUG is still a residential area so why is there no considerations given to (especiaaly houses along the main road regarding:
* Noise pollution–its amost impossible to sleep with vehicles (cars and motorcycles with no mufflers);
* Dust pollution with so much traffic rushing at such terrific speeds;
* Creating danger to the residents especially, for children and older people;
* Ruined the serenity and easily accessible place for residents to exercise before the link was built.As a resident of OUG, I would like to highlight that this link was built without any discussions (not that I know of), with the community of OUG. And once built, there have been no enforcements to ensure, especially road laws, are followed and not abused.
If as MP of Seputeh you cannot help us for any reasons, then there is no help. As you probably know, not all of us can afford extra houses or holidays where we can go get away from all these nonsense.
Thank you for listening but really hope that you can do something especially now regarding the temple.