KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — Residents in Bangsar are riled up over the increasing number of residential units being converted into commercial lots.
The problem started as far back as 2005 when several house owners in the area began renting out their premises to business operators.
Despite numerous complaints to the authorities, residents claim little has been done to address the issue.
Investigations by the Hotline Roving Team reveal close to 30 houses in Jalan Telawi, Jalan Telawi 6 and Jalan Telawi 9 and Jalan Terasek 4 were converted to commercial units. A house in Jalan Terasek 5 had been converted into a hostel.
The Malay Mail identified several lots mainly in Jalan Telawi which serve as legal offices, spas, boutiques, real estate offices, and a mobile phone repair and accessory shop.
The facade of these lots was deceiving. There were no signboards or signage and the structure resembled a house.
Bangsar Baru Residents’ Association president Datuk George Joseph says the conversions are illegal.
“The Draft Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020 clearly states houses in Jalan Telawi and Jalan Terasek are 100 per cent residential.
“The association is strictly against the conversion. It looks as though the moment we give our consent for some areas to be converted, certain irresponsible house owners allow their houses to be turned into commercial lots.”
“If this continues, the entire area will start losing its value,” says Joseph.
The association’s secretary Prem Kumar Nair says they had been complaining to City Hall to address the matter for years but no action had been taken.
“City Hall confirmed this is a residential area and has issued notices to errant house owners who convert their units but no legitimate action has been taken to date,” Prem said.
The council has to decide on the status of these units. If it is a commercial lot, they should make this known. Otherwise, business operators should vacate these premises.
“I feel like we have been robbed of our privacy and traffic has worsened because customers visiting these house cum business units park by the roadside and at times encroach into our units,” said a resident who declined to be named.
Another resident who lives in Jalan Terasek said he felt helpless as the authorities seemed to be closing an eye on the menace.
“We have invested so much time and money into our houses and expect it to remain a residential area.
“It is not fair to convert a house into a commercial entity without the consent of the residents.”
