BOOMING: Former rubber estates in the Seputeh constituency have become the thriving townships of Seri Petaling and Taman Desa in slightly more than three decades, writes Shanti Gunaratnam
IT was a rubber estate that offered much greenery and was often enveloped in mist while several mining ponds completed the scenic view.
Even after the first housing estate was developed, residents enjoyed tranquility and cool weather on a daily basis.
Today, the rubber plantations and mining ponds have made way for townships, mixed development projects, a sports complex and offices, but to the locals who have been residing in Seputeh constituency for generations, there is no better place to call home.
Seri Petaling has come a long way in more than three decades.
With access to four highways, Seri Petaling is considered one of the most easily accessible places in the country.
“When we first moved here 35 years ago, many of our family members and friends thought we were out of our minds as Seri Petaling was considered isolated and was accessible only via the Seremban highway. We moved here because our single-storey terrace house cost us RM42,500 and it was considered reasonable then,” said Raymond Ong and his wife, Lee Chui Kee.
“Today, similar properties cost almost RM800,000 but unlike others, we have never thought of moving because we like this neighbourhood.”
Businessman Tan Tai Tong, who is also the president of the Seri Petaling Residents’ Association, said when he moved from Johor Baru to the central region to start his wholesale business, Seri Petaling was the obvious choice because office space rental was affordable then. At that time, Tan could rent a shoplot for RM1,200 per month.
Seri Petaling started off as Castlefield Estate, a rubber plantation in Selangor.
Petaling Garden Development later bought the land and developed the estate into Seri Petaling in stages.
The name Seri Petaling derived from the name of the development company, which also developed the township of Petaling Jaya.
Tan said Seri Petaling in Chinese, Tai Seng Poh, meant “Big Castle”.
“Seri Petaling had three or four mining ponds and there was another one nearby in Seri Endah. The mining ponds offered beautiful scenery but the developer drained one of the ponds and turned it into a landfill, much to our disapproval.
“For some years, Seri Petaling had to endure the smell and flies that came from the site. But, eventually, it was cleared to make way for the Bukit Jalil Sports Complex that was built for the 1998 Commonwealth Games.”
A coffee lover, Tan recalled that he had to stop drinking in coffee shops because of the presence of flies.
Association vice-president Francis Foo and assistant secretary Ng See Eng both claimed that over-development of the township had brought about heavy traffic and parking woes.
“As more development takes place, this place becomes more congested. Finding parking space is a major problem, especially around the business centres.”
The township is considered a food haven and boasts the largest night market in the country, with more than 1,000 stalls.
Seri Petaling, along with Salak South and Taman Desa, make up the Seputeh constituency.
Taman Desa, off Jalan Klang Lama, is viewed as the jewel in the crown of the constituency.
According to Taman Desa
Residents’ Association chairman William Chan, Taman Desa was once a rubber estate that was developed by the Faber Union
Group and many bought houses here because they sat just “down the road” from the city centre.
“We are a self-contained township that has everything, such as hospitals, offices, houses, schools, eateries, places of worship and condominiums. We are happy there is no shopping mall here as it would create only more congestion in the neighbourhood.
“For us, Mid Valley Megamall is just a stone’s throw away and many of us would rather do our shopping there. Taman Desa, which has the Danau Desa and Bukit Desa Abadi neighbourhoods in the vicinity, is one of the best planned neighbourhoods,” added Chan.
As for the name, Molly Goh, one of the earliest residents in the area, said Taman Desa, in Chinese meant a “township on a hilltop”.
“Well, it is not far from the truth because when you look at where and how Taman Desa is situated, we are actually sitting on a hilltop.”