Call to restore guard post

Strong message: Tan (left pic, foreground) explaining to reporters as residents gathered at the community hall of Taman Bukit Minyak Utama in Bukit Mertajam hold a banner showing council enforcement officers tearing down the guard post on Jan 9. (Above) a temporary security post set up at the entrance to the housing area after the demolition of the security post.— Photos by MUSTAFA AHMAD

RESIDENTS of Taman Bukit Minyak Utama are appealing to the Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) that the guard post that was removed by the council’s enforcement team be restored.

Tan Eng Lam, a representative of the residents, said the post at the entrance to the housing estate served as the base for the neighbourhood guards.

“We asked that we be allowed to have the post until there is a need to open the housing area’s thoroughfare for new project developments.

“We are saddened that the guard post was knocked down on Jan 9.

“Our security watch has been in operation for the past two years without any problems,” he said.

Taman Bukit Minyak Utama Rukun Tetangga chairman Chuah Eng Loey said the neighbourhood’s crime rate reduced significantly following the formation of the security watch.

He said the security post had also kept away Mat Rempit from racing in the neighbourhood at night.

The residents staged a peaceful demonstration on Monday to protest against the removal of the guard post by MPSP.

MPSP secretary Rozali Mohamud when contacted said the guard post was torn down as it was placed on the main road.

“(Taman Bukit Minyak Utama Rukun Tetangga) applied for the guard post but we rejected the application due to its location.”