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ARTICLES FROM LOCAL NEWSPAPER ABOUT KLANG SENTRAL
Issue of Klang Sentral
SHAH ALAM: All parties involved in the controversial Klang
Sentral bus terminal have been called to attend an open
discussion Thursday to thrash out the issues.
They involved the traders and transport operators, MPs and
assemblymen, members of the special committee on the relocation
of the bus terminal, Klang Sentral developer NPO Development Sdn
Bhd and operator Nadi Corp Sdn Bhd.
Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said the state executive
council decided to hold the meeting following a briefing by the
Klang Municipal Council (MPK) on Wednesday.
He said the new terminal received protests from various
parties despite the state government’s directive to MPK to solve
the issue.
The Klang Utara bus terminal was relocated to the new
terminal in Meru at the end of last year.
The relocation was criticised as it was about 6km from the
old terminal and led to Klang MP Charles Santiago and Kapar MP
S. Manikavasagam having a verbal war with Sungai Pinang
assemblyman and State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Khim.
Khalid said the events since the Klang Sentral project took
off in 2006, the concession agreement and problems faced by
traders and transport operators would be discussed at the
meeting.
He said details of the agreement would be revealed during the
meeting.
“We will also listen to the MPs opinions,” he said after the
weekly exco meeting.
He said the state government would not cease operations at
the new terminal but would find solutions to improve it.
When asked if the verbal war among the Paktan Rakyat
representatives would affect the party, Khalid said:
“We are talking about helping the rakyat but quarrelling
among ourselves is not a good way to help.
“Let’s find a common solution to this issue which is to find
a way to counter traffic congestion in Klang,” he said, adding
that quarrels were common among politicians.
Lower rental may solve
Klang Sentral issue.
KLANG: The
Selangor government is trying to negotiate a lower rental for
traders, and bus and taxi operators at the Klang Sentral
terminal.
Health,
Plantation Workers, Poverty and Caring Government Committee
chairman Dr Xavier A. Jeyakumar said he had spoken to the
developer's, Titijaya Group, representatives about the matter.
He said Klang Municipal Council officials would also follow up
on the matter.
He said council officials had been told to renegotiate rentals
with the developer so that lower rates could apply until
business and traffic volume at the terminal improved.
"I have held discussions with the council president and the
developer to lower the rental until things pick up," he said
after visiting the terminal.
High rentals at
the RM12.4 million terminal were cited as a factor behind the
reluctance of bus and taxi operators to relocate there.
They will have to fork out up to RM10,000 a month to operate
from the new terminal compared with the RM1,000 they are paying
now.
Traders will have to pay between RM2,000 and RM3,000 per lot,
almost equal the charges at nearby shopping complexes.
Titijaya Group general manager B.K. Ong, who was present,
declined to confirm if his company would reduce rentals but
agreed to hold discussions with the council.
"We will hold discussions with council officials and tenants at
a dialogue session. At this point, we can't comment. We will
decide after a study has been made."
Dr Xavier said the terminal was aimed at alleviating traffic
congestion in the royal town with shortcomings addressed over
time.
"Klang is an old town and there was not enough space to build
the terminal in the city centre.
"The terminal was not conceived in eight months. Planning
started in 2003. Why now when we have opened the terminal is
there an issue over its location? This is not fair. The people
of Klang have known for years about the terminal's relocation."
Klang Consumer Association president A. Devadass said the
association had been protesting against the relocation of the
terminal since 2005.
He claimed the council had turned a deaf ear to complaints on
the matter.
"Initially, the developer said only the express buses would be
moving. Nothing was said about stage buses."
Devadass said an alternative to the new terminal could have been
the relocation of the the post office in Jalan Pos Baru to
Orchard Square.
"There's also a small area in front of the post office that
could be used."
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