MORE than 40 Taman Desa residents in Kuala Lumpur, mostly aged 50 years old and above, protested at 8am on Monday (Aug 24) against restricted access at Gate 5 in Jalan Desa Ria, saying early-morning walkers were being forced to take a dangerous 800m detour to get to a public park.
The gate, which provides the shortest route to the park, remains locked to pedestrians until 6am and is permanently closed to vehicles.
Residents who begin exercising at 5am or 5.30am must instead use busy Jalan Desa Jaya. With roadside traders occupying the pedestrian walkway, they said they were forced onto the road in the dark amid oncoming traffic before walking 500m uphill and another 300m to the park.
The vehicle restriction also prevents older people and those with mobility problems from driving closer to the park.
Residents questioned why the Taman Desa Phase 1 Residents Association (TDP1RA), which operates the guarded neighbourhood scheme, should control access to a public road and park.
They carried placards reading “TDP1RA, please open our gate!” and “Taman kita, laluan kita, hak kita” (Our park, our route, our right).
They also complained of congestion and delays caused by facial scans at another entrance, describing the system as intrusive, and warned that barriers could delay emergency vehicles.
Peter Tan, 75, said the closure had disrupted his routine.
“We now have to go down to Jalan Desa Jaya, face heavy traffic and roadside traders, and then walk uphill to the park. It is not fair,” he said.
Lee Sook Chin, 92, said she had used the route for years for her morning exercise.
“Now, we must put ourselves in danger just to get to a public park,” she said.
Mary Tan, 76, who has suffered multiple falls, said the detour was particularly difficult for older residents.
“My legs cannot cope with longer routes filled with obstructions. This gate must be opened,” she said.
StarMetro reported on Aug 18 that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had found the scheme deviated from its 2012 approval.
In a March 5 letter, DBKL said CCTV cameras and the facial-recognition system had been installed without approval.
TDP1RA president Frank Yeh maintained that the association followed the required procedures and secured support from 81% of residents.
Following an Aug 17 inspection, DBKL found the association had failed to regularise the scheme within an extended 30-day period.
In an Aug 18 letter, DBKL directed TDP1RA to fully open Posts 2, 5 and 6 to vehicles.
A DBKL spokesman confirmed issuing the letter and said the association had also been ordered to remove unauthorised structures and restore access along the affected public roads.
