The new Cabinet approved guidelines were released today by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and are effective immediately.
Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung said however that if existing guarded neighbourhoods are not found to be “overly contravening” the guidelines, they will be allowed to continue.
“They (the barriers) can be demolished if complaints are made,” he said at a media briefing today.
The new guidelines require that a temporary occupancy license be obtained for permanent security booths and that boom gates and warning signs restricting access to a neighbourhood will only be permitted if it is manned by a security guard 24 hours a day.
Neighbourhoods can also only be become guarded ones if at least 51 per cent of residents agree and no legal action can be taken against those 49 per cent who disagree with having a guarded neighbourhood.
Perimeter fencing will also not be allowed and security guards need to be registered with the Home Affairs ministry.
There are over 400 guarded neighbourhoods in Selangor of which 98 have perimeter fencing.
Residents established guarded neighbourhoods due to concerns over crime rates in urban areas. The haphazard construction of security barriers however elicited complaints that it restricted access to public roads and amenities such as playgrounds and were also criticised for being unsightly.
