Residents cry foul over communication tower

KULAI: Residents of Taman Kulai Utama are crying foul over the construction of a telecommunication tower on a proposed playground area in their housing estate.

The tower is roughly below 45m and it was erected on the site on March 30.

Some 30 residents, led by Bukit Batu assemblyman Jimmy Puah Wee Tse, gathered at the site, an empty space along Jalan Anggerik today.

Puah, who is also Johor PKR deputy chairman, said, Kulai Municipal Town Council did not inform residents about the construction of the communication tower, adding that there was no signboard on the site as well.

He said, the council should not keep residents in the dark.
"There is no engagement of the residents in this case."

Residents, Eni Sukmana, 50, and Sharmilee Gomez, 43, said, they saw a crane transporting materials and beams to be used for the tower on the morning of March 30, and the tower was erected within one day.

They said the tower is too near to their house, and they are worried that it may cause health problems, especially for pregnant women and children.

Another resident, Chong Siew Lan said the tower in the open space could easily become a target for lightning strikes.

Earlier, Puah said he had met the development unit chief of the Kulai Municipal Town Council on March 31. He also wrote a letter to the president of the Council, Tuan Haji Abdul Rahman Salleh, telling them to hold a dialogue with residents here.

Puah said the town council had approved the project in March.

According to a Housing and Local Government guideline, towers that are higher than 45m must be located at least 30m away from the nearest residential house, 15m away from the nearest commercial building and 10m away from an industrial building.
Towers below 45m must be about 20m away from any residential house, 10m from any commercial building and 5m from any industrial building.