Glenmarie Cove: residents call out developer’s ‘unkept promises’

KLANG – Residents of Glenmarie Cove are fuming over their developer’s alleged unkept promises to provide adequate facilities and security concerns arising within their gated neighbourhood.

Despite being advertised as a posh freehold township located along Sg Langat, residents claim that the developer Glenmarie Cove Development Sdn Bhd (GCD), a subsidiary under DRB-Hicom Bhd, did not provide amenities nor fulfil their assurances as advertised.

The neighbourhood is also prone to flooding incidents during the wet monsoon season, exacerbated by the coming of high tide – further infuriating residents and owners.

They claim that this contradicts what the developer had advertised  – that the neighbourhood would be at least above sea level for another 100 years.

Speaking to The Vibes, Glenmarie Cove Resident Association (GCROA) president Nicky Teh said they have repeatedly voiced their frustration over flooding incidents in the neighbourhood.

“The developer assured the buyers that the development was built above the 100 years flood level forecast. 

“But since moving in, seawater has been slowly overflowing the riverbank onto the boardwalk every spring tide, twice a year or roughly thirty days out of the year,’’ he alleged.

Checks done by the Vibes on October 12 showed that the main road to the gated community, Persiaran Damar, was flooded with water levels being near knee-deep.

Persiaran Damar is the main road connecting to Glenmarie Cove. It also connects the neighbourhood to Jalan Telok Gong, an arterial road that heads into Port Klang and Pulau Indah.

Residents have attributed the problem to the overflow of water from a nearby lagoon within their neighbourhood. The problem is also accelerated by high rainfall.

The lagoon is also directly connected to Sg Langat, which naturally flows into the Straits of Melaka. Overflow from the lagoon occurs after high rainfall while the river level is high due to high tides, especially during the spring tide movement.

To prevent further flooding in the neighbourhood, residents have taken the initiative to privately finance and build flooding bunds along the lagoon.

They have also constructed flooding bunds along Sg Langat.

While bunds along the riverfront have helped prevented water from overflowing into their neighbourhood, the boardwalk along the river is still prone to flooding.

Teh explained that residents would require an additional RM400,000 to build a proper flood bund along the riverfront.

To make matters worse, Teh added, the riverbanks have also suffered from soil erosion, a matter that was brought to the attention of GCD but no action has yet been taken by the latter.

Grouses on jetty

Teh claimed that another major amenity GCD failed to provide is a proper replacement jetty after the original one at Senangin Pier had somehow floated away in 2017.

GCD had then received insurance money of more than RM1 million but was only offered RM100,000 to repair the jetty privately, and subsequently take ownership.

However, GCROA demanded that the jetty be rebuilt to its original form using the same quality materials as the former design.

“GCD relented and agreed to rebuild the jetty but they decided to shorten it, reuse materials salvaged from the previously damaged jetty, and engage the same contractor who built the sub-standard jetty instead of appointing a more experienced contractor,’’ Teh alleged.

Other issues include GCD’s alleged failure to provide street lights along the riverfront boardwalk and defective road design heading into their neighbourhood.

The Vibes has contacted GCD for comment on this matter and is awaiting a response. – The Vibes, October 22, 2022