Fong (six from left) and Tan (fourth from right) at the launch of the covered walkway. — Photos: YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
IT HAS taken eight years, but residents of 1Razak Mansion no longer have to walk under the hot sun or through the rain to get groceries from nearby Razak City Residences.
The covered walkway in Salak South, Kuala Lumpur, was built thanks to MP Fong Kui Lun.
He used his parliamentary allocation to fund the project costing RM200,000 after numerous requests to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) was delayed due to red tape.
Fong felt that he could not wait any longer for DBKL to build the walkway.
“The sheltered walkway was urgently needed,” he said.
1Razak Mansion Management Corporation (MC) chairman Anthony Tan said more than 60% of its residents were elderly.
“Some are in their 70s or 80s and live alone. Going out in the scorching heat to get food or groceries is very tiring,” he said.
“Even though it is just 200m long, this walkway really helps make life easier,” he said.
Tan said there were about 20,000 people living in 1Razak Mansion and Razak City Residences but the area lacked basic infrastructure.
“It is not enough to just build condominiums. The area also needs lighting, safe roads and sheltered walkways,” he said.
An elderly resident using the newly completed covered walkway.
Rokiah Ismail, 76, said she could now walk over to buy vegetables without waiting for the rain to stop or the sun to set, adding, “It feels safer too.”
While residents are grateful, many say the walkway would have been more useful if extended to the Salak Selatan LRT station, about 1km away.
They said this would give them better access to public transport and affordable shopping.
“We hope DBKL can build a walkway all the way to the LRT station,” said George Fernandez, 61.
Lau Seow Kin, 82, agreed.
“There is a feeder bus here every 30 minutes, but it only goes to Chan Sow Lin station, which is 4km away. We just want to shop nearby,” he said.
Since their flats were redeveloped in 2017, residents – mostly elderly – have been asking for a sheltered path from the bus stop in front of their apartment to the LRT station along Jalan 4/108a.
They said the current route was unsafe, exposing them to traffic and snatch thieves.
They said that although there was an overhead bridge across the Sungai Besi Expressway (Besraya), it was also used by motorcyclists and was unsafe. — By BAVANI M
