Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Zahri Samingon has given an ultimatum to a business owner responsible for turning a shared back alley into a private scrapyard.
The latter must clear the obstruction at the back lane of Jalan Emas SD5/1B in Bandar Sri Damansara or face the consequences.
Mohamad Zahri stated that he would personally visit the site if the situation remained unchanged.
“I will go there to see it for myself if the mess is not cleared.
“This is a fire hazard and is not allowed,” he warned.
This follows a StarMetro report on Jan 24, titled “Illegal alley hoarding sparks fire fear”, which detailed the long-standing grievances of other shopowners affected by the illegal hoarding in their vicinity.
The situation has caused significant distress among the business community who reports that the alley has been completely taken over by a fellow businessman.
What started as a few items years ago, has accumulated into massive piles of industrial junk.
The individual even illegally barricaded and locked both ends of the shared lane.
This blockage has forced other merchants to load and unload their supplies on the busy main road, disrupting traffic flow and preventing city council workers from entering to clean the back drains.
Hardware shop owner Seng CC, who has operated at the location since 1998, expressed deep anxiety over the potential for tragedy.
Seng said that despite lodging multiple reports with Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), the culprit appeared “untouchable”.
“Every day, I worry about a fire.
“This neighbour is arrogant and refuses to remove his items.
“I am tired of lodging reports because the authorities have shown no interest in enforcing removal,” Seng said.
Fellow business owner Lai FF said that despite routine licensing inspections three times a year, MBPJ had failed to address the blatant obstruction.
“He even has the audacity to lock the back alley. Other owners know he has been issued summonses, yet the items remain,” Lai added.
Community activist Yee Poh Ping described the situation as a failure of enforcement, criticising the authorities for allowing one individual to inconvenience and endanger an entire row of shops.
“It is unfair that everyone suffers because of one culprit,” said Yee, who urged for the immediate dismantling of the illegal gates.
