Citing health concerns, Ipoh residents reject telco tower on neighbourhood shop roof

IPOH, May 15 — Residents of Taman Pusat Bercham are up in arms over a telecommunication tower being built on the roof of a shoplot in their neighbourhood.

Citing health hazards, the residents are demanding that construction be stopped immediately.

Tan Yook Lakh said work started in April and residents approached Bercham assemblyman Ong Boon Piow for assistance.

“Ong told us his hands are tied as approval for the tower had been given,” he said during a media conference arranged by MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau head Low Guo Nan at the site today.

The 71-year-old said residents are worried their health would be affected as a result of radiation from the tower.

Another resident Lee Lai Peng, 54, said this was not the first time telecommunications companies wanted to put up towers in the area.

“In 2009, we managed to get the former state government to stop construction for a tower,” said the housewife, adding that the area now has two towers that were put up before residents moved into the area.

A third resident Alina Abdul Rahman said the tower must not be allowed to go up as she could not bear to lose her friends to cancer.

“I lost at least three neighbours to cancer,” she added.

Chan Kam Sun said he lost his wife and son to cancer.

“My wife passed away due to cervical cancer while my son died due to bone cancer,” said the 65-year-old technician whose house is behind the proposed site to erect the tower.

“I do not want to lose my 12-year-old daughter to cancer too,” he added.

Residents had initiated a signature campaign on Tuesday and managed to collect over 200 signatures.

The petition was later submitted to Ong.

Low, meanwhile, said under a guideline on constructing and permit renewal for telecommunications structures in Perak that was prepared by KPerak Inc Corporation in 2017, telecommunication structures on rooftops are disallowed.

“By allowing the tower to be built in spite of the guideline, it is like Pakatan Harapan government giving a present to the people in conjunction with its one-year anniversary,” he said.