BUTTERWORTH, Aug 11 — More than 1,000 residents of Taman Mawar staged a peaceful demonstration to register their protest against a service centre that has been operating in their area.

A spokesman for the group said they decided to stage the demonstration in front of the service centre, as the Seberang Perai Town Council (MPSP) has not taken any action despite many complaints of noise and air pollution.

The group, representing about 4,000 Taman Mawar residents, urged the local council to take action against the car service centre that has been disrupting the peace and safety of their residential area.

Taman Mawar Rukun Tetangga spokesman Tan Cheng Lee said since the service centre opened for business in April, residents in the area were concerned with their safety, especially children.

“Inconsiderate parking by clients of the service centre had caused two accidents and obstruction to residents. Reckless driving by the service centre staff has also raised concern among residents,” Tan told reporters, here, today.

The residents who gathered at the service centre today carried placards like “Kembalikan taman yang aman dan tenang” (Give us back our peace), “Kembalikan udara yang bersih” (Give us fresh air) and “Kembalikan jalan yang lebar dan tiada halangan” (do not obstruct our roads).

Tan said they (residents) had lodged complaints to the Sungai Puyu state assemblyman Phee Boon Poh, Bagan Jermal state assemblyman Lim Hock Seng and the MPSP but no action has been taken.

He added that the service centre was misusing its business permit which was only for repairing vehicles and not test engines or change engines of vehicles.

A resident, Tan Cheng Wooi, 53, said the noise level at Taman Mawar has been unbearable since the service centre started operations.

“We have been living here for 30 years without such problems but the service centre has changed all that,” he said.

Another resident, Lim May Leng, 47, who has five children and lives in front of the service centre said the noise level from the centre was unbearable because noise from engines can be heard at even 2am.

“My children have problems when they are studying while I always have headaches due to the deafening noise,” she said. — Bernama