rocky's bru |
| Posted: 06 Oct 2013 06:25 AM PDT  | ||
| UKRC Field vs BN then, UKRC Field vs Pakatan now Posted: 05 Oct 2013 11:21 PM PDT
Excerpts from a decade ago: "And the pits of the issue: some developers are still trying to rob residents of existing football fields! The media have helped residents defend their fields against many developers but the latest one involving the field at the Ulu Klang Recreational Club will prove to be the biggest battle yet. Because in this one the Selangor State Government has taken the unprecedented action to throw its entire weight behind the developers and against the protectors of football fields. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Khir Toyo said there was need to relocate squatters in a nearby colony and the field is the only space available. (With the recent controversy over the "over-generous" awards of land in Selangor, the question of available space should not have been raised!) Khir also said that the developers will only take a portion of the field. He did not say if this meant the residents would be able to still play their football on half or quarter of a field. I played a friendly at the UKRC field. The place was full of activities and young people of various races. There were no guards at the entrance to stop non-members from entering the grounds; this isn't a golf club, it's a football club. I can't see where football in this country is going if Khir goes ahead with his plans to "take back" a field meant for the ordinary people - a field that has been there long before he was born - in the name of development and progress."
I wrote that piece 10 years ago, when Selangor was under BN. The story about our fight for the UKRC field was picked up by Jeff Ooi's Screenshots (Rocky takes on Khir Toyo). By 2004, credit to the Menteri Besar who must have seen the light, the Selangor government declared the field as "open space". It was a victory of ordinary people against greedy housing developers, one that would not have been possible without Mr Andrew Gopal and the fearless people of Ulu Kelang Recreation Club. But today, the UKRC is forced to fight for the field again. This time it is up against the Pakatan Rakyat state government, the local council Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya, and the Kuala Ampang Resident Association. The RA was formed only in January this year "to fight for the field". As of Oct 1, the MPAJ has taken charge of the field. A guardhouse at the entrance has been demolished and the residents are "free" to play football in the fields without having to deal with the UKRC. One thing I must say, I disagreed with the UKRC putting up a guard house at the entrance of the field but the MPAJ has guards at the field, too, so what's the difference. And the local council is charging RM200 per game for anyone who wants to use the field, already! Expect another long battle ahead. At least this time there won't be any developer involved. Or is there? Read also The Star's Love labour lost.  |
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