MRT Co Not In Control Of Its Contractors? Then Who Are?

Following on from the incidences of last week, when residents of Pinggir Za'aba were given a good sampling of how noisy and distrubing life would be for many months over the next 2 years of MRT construction, we were treated to freshly recycled promises from MRT's Director of Strategic Communications and PR, Amir Mahmood Razak. These were his and hence his organisation's, re-assurances to this blogger's good neighbours:

Date: Thursday, November 8, 2012, 11:14 AM

Dear Xxxxxxx, Xxx and Xxxxx,

I believe works has stopped in the area. My commitment remains that we will re-start works after we complete the engagement we promised.

Again, my email and my number (017 6xxx 5xxx) remains accessible to all of you for contact.

Thank you again for the patience displayed.

Warm regards,
AMR

Such assurances are said to have followed earlier excuses that MRT Co had supposedly not allowed for these works near Pinggir Za'aba to begin in the first place. I mention this as a note or 'aid memoir' for the events that follow as whilst I have this coming from several sources along the neighbourhood, I find it highly unbelievable that MRT Co could be so incompetent as to have allowed a contractor to begin its works without their express knowledge!

Please also note that the 'commitment' Amir Mahmood mentions about an engagement with Pinggir Za'aba residents was promised to us on an earlier engagement on 3 September 2012. Amir Mahmood and a raft of nodding reps from MRT Co's contractors declared that they would invite us back for a follow up engagement 2 weeks from that date as they could not at the time address our concerns. Amir Mahmood and co are now some 2 months late, based on whatever Calendar, Gregorian, Lunar, Muslim, etc... known to this man.

What follows is however most unfortunate, and is probably best reflected by the following e-mail from a neighbour to Amir Mahmood Razak which he had copied all of us on the street:

On 15 November 2012 20:03, Xxxxx wrote:

Dear Amir Mahmood,

Last week I complained to you about sudden start of construction work, the excessive noise and the late hour that the construction work was being carried out by your contractors. You told me that you would take immediate action, and on November 8, 2012, 11:14:15 AM had given us, the residence of PZ the assurance via e-mail, Quote " I believe works has stopped in the area. My commitment remains that we will re-start works after we complete the engagement we promised." (Meaning a dialogue between the residents of PZ and MRTCo was to be held before any construction was to begin )

Yesterday to our utter horror we received a written notice telling us that work will resume on Friday,16 November 2012 with work hours 7.00am to 12.00 midnight (Monday to Saturday) My phone had since been ringing non stop by calls from furious residents demanding to know just what is going on. We consider this a serious breach of promise and cannot accept this latest turn of events. Can you please explain your self.

Regards
Xxxxx

The plot then thickens when we then received the following e-mail from another neighbour that further showcases just how 'Strategic' communications regarding this MRT has become!

Sent: Thursday, 15 November 2012, 22:23

Dear All,

On Monday night (12/11), i received an sms from Bhavani from MMC-Gamuda informing me they are scheduling a follow-up engagement session with PZ residents on Friday (16/11) at TTDI Info Centre and will be sending out invitation letters to residents and email to me by 14/11 morning.

This afternoon, Bhavani send me another sms stating that the engagement has been postponed to a later date.

Regards,
Xxxxx (A different one from above)

Perhaps Amir Mahmood has not been communicative due to the public holidays. The problem he has is that this hardly looks like there is barely any Communication let alone Strategically being Directed on this MRT, which is his job. Well, perhaps if he was not so busy trying to cover up for his boss Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid's broken promises to neighbourhoods affected by the MRT, like Pinggir Za'aba, he would have more credibility and even time to perform what should be his real job!

One of course hopes MRT Co is not now descending to the depths of communications incompetence of its governing body SPAD, led by the somewhat more epicly incompetent TS Syed Hamid Albar, which started communicating to residents affected by the MRT with notices stuck onto trees... in a country where it rains daily... 

In the meantime, the residents of Pinggir Za'aba remains steadfast in waiting for the promises MRT Co has been making to be fulfilled - with some suspense as well now thrown in due to recent events. We are ever ready to share with anyone, especially past, present and future, even potential, victims of the MRT our experiences thus far.