Secutiry Update as of Dec 19

As of today we have 495 residents who have paid up out of 690 occupied houses. When we did our earlier rounds campaigning, 593 or 86% said they support this idea. So right now residents who have paid up is at 72%. I hope that you can help us by talking to your neighbors who have not signed up (with no green gate tag) and encourage them to join. I also hope the 100+ residents that said they will support our security scheme will come forward voluntarily and sign up. This is for the good of the whole community. As much as I hope that we can get full support from all but unfortunately there will be a number of residents living among us that will not support this scheme even though it is benefiting them.

One of the services that Homeguards provides to us paying residents is Tiger Eye, where the guards will keep an eye out on your house when you are away e.g. for your holidays. The guards when they patrol the neighborhood will stop by your house take a look to make sure all is in order (no gate/doors/windows ajar or signs of intrusion) and drop in a note in your mail box to show what day and time they were at your house. So if you are going to be away for a few days and want this service, then call Homeguards call center (03 3373 3994) and inform them what are the days that you will be away.

In my last e-circular there was an error in a phone number as pointed out by a number of residents (thank you!). The correct emergency numbers for you to key into your mobiles and have ready next to your house or office phones are:

First number to call - 03 3373 3994 (Homeguards HOTLINE NBR)
Second number to call - 0162848798 (DD LINE FOR DJROA ZONE 3)
Third number to call - 0163373994 (DD LINE AT CALL CENTRE)

I've been asked to inform all residents (and their maids) who walks their pet dogs to please bring along a plastic bag and pick up your dog's poo so as not to stink up our neighborhood. I trust everyone don't like to step on shit. So please be considerate and do the right thing.

The guards have been instructed to stop all motorbikes, lorries and vans at the 2 guard posts. As for the cars they are doing it randomly at the moment. We have distributed the car stickers and more are coming back to purchase additional. Once more residents have the stickers up, it will be easier for the guards to just pay attention to the cars without stickers. Also, there are quite a large number of residents who have not/will not sign up to our scheme. They will not get stickers nor gate tag.

As of today, we have started implementing the Visitor's Pass where visitors have to display the A4 size laminated pass on their car dash board, motorcyclist given pass that they will wear around their neck, and guards will also take down their particulars including house they are visiting. This is for tighter control and warns the visitors that they are being monitored while in our zone. We'll try that out and see how that works. Problem is our entrance roads are very narrow and will cause congestion if all the cars are stopped, unlike neighborhoods that have been designed for gated security with wider roads and places to stop. Walk in individuals seems lesser of a threat at the moment but we will monitor the situation to see if that too needs to be addressed.

We will continue to highlight and improve with Homeguards to inform of the various complaints from the residents about inattentive guards, sleeping guards, etc and will continue to monitor their performance. So all your feedback is important to highlight to Homeguards of the various issues. But overall, there has been marked improvement in the security of our neighborhood. I do feel a lot safer and sleep better. Never the less we should never let our guard down and must always be alert for strangers in our neighborhood. Bad elements will find ways to penetrate any security schemes. Its our duty to look after ourselves, our loved ones and our properties. Having guards 24/7 is only a deterrent and not a 100% fool proof system.

We have applied to TNB for electrical supply to the guard house on road 35. Once that is approved, we plan to install boomgates there. As for road 31 where the detractors lives, we have to be cautious as last I heard they have consulted lawyers to try and stop our security scheme near to their houses. So far I've not received any notices yet. Once we are more certain that things have cooled down, then we will look into boomgates there.

Attach is an article in today's Star Metro's newspaper on DBKL demolishing boomgates in 4 housing areas. I hope MBPJ will not do that in PJ.

Meanwhile, we are thinking of closing entrance on road 31 from 12midnight till 6am daily. That means only entrance/exit during that 6 hours will be from road 35. That will tighten the security further at night. A guard will still be stationed at road 31 to monitor the situation. If you think its a bad idea, let me know. As for daytime, the guards and all of us have to be alert for potential intruders. Don't take our security for granted.

We will continue to improvise as best we can and improve as we go along so please have patience and help us by giving feedback. All feedbacks are welcomed. Thank you to all who have been giving us constant feedback. Do keep them coming.

Before I sign off, the security committee (kudos to them who have worked so hard for everyone!) and from Candy & I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Here's hoping 2009 will be a Prosperous, Healthy and Safe one for All.