How to garner full support for G&G
I REFER to the article New G&G Guidelines For Shah Alam (StarMetro, 7 July) on new guidelines for Selangor’s gated and guarded neighbourhoods, and comments that the authorities are making it impossible for Residents Associations to do their job of keeping neighbourhoods safe by requiring 100% resident approval for autogates, etc.
The authorities had done their homework and were impartial to the two opposing groups (one for, and the other against, G&G).
The “for” group said security concerns override everything but they miss the point of the “against” group and they forget that the property is not strata property.
There is a tendency of the “for” group to devise means to coerce the “against” group to contribute to the fee. This is different from getting their approval for an auto gate.
In any society, people have varying financial capabilities, and forking out the monthly fee for the service of a G&G may not be the priority for those against it. Some may have invested in their own appropriate precautionary measures to ensure their safety, and choose to not be members of the RA.
To those harping on the impossibility of getting 100% resident approval, why can’t the RA, when seeking resident approval for an autogate, state its policy that non-member residents will be given free car stickers and/or free access cards for agreeing to have the autogate installed? That should get full support.
I think the RAs are reluctant to openly declare the above free-ofcharge car sticker/access card policy for the autogate as they fear the number of paying members will dwindle, and that will increase the financial burden of the remaining members, leading to no G&G.
G&G validity being extended to three years across the board should not be the case. The approval should be tied in with the RA’s AGM frequency, as a new committee may be elected and make changes to the RA policy.
In my G&G neighbourhood with autogate (10 years in existence), a new committee came on board and stopped offering guard night patrol at properties bordering a third-party property said to be the source of night intrusion, leading to house break-ins. Yet, the committee still insists on retaining the RM300+ monthly fee, and has not accepted a proposal to debate the fee reduction (to RM150) at the AGM. As a result, membership has gone down from 86% to 75%.
In addition, they have put up a banner stating that it is compulsory for non-members to renew their yearly car stickers and the access cards at cost.
Out of the 150 households in the G&G, normally 20 would attend the AGM and elect 10 out of the 20 to be committee members who are then empowered to impose the rules on the 150.
The authorities have past experience to draw on, to come up with the new guidelines, and it is best the RAs comply instead of taking shortcuts. And if you take an inclusive approach instead of being confrontational, I am sure you can achieve 100% resident approval for your G&G autogate.
FAIRNESS RULES Shah Alam