The 'illegal' construction being carried out by an Umno branch behind the Sri Endah low-cost flats in Kuala Lumpur has stopped, said a spokesperson from PJD Management Services which oversees the flats.

PJD Property manager Elson Gan, who visited the flats in Sri Petaling here Monday morning, said the workers had left the place and the holes that were dug earlier had been refilled.

The construction by the Umno Bandar Tun Razak branch, was carried out on a portion of a green patch situated directly behind the low-cost flats and this irked residents who claimed that they were never informed.

Numerous police reports were also lodged regarding the matter.

DAP member of Parliament for Seputeh Teresa Kok - whose constituency includes Sri Petaling - had claimed the Umno branch did not have the approval from the relevant authorities to carry out the construction.

She then lodged a police report on October 7 regarding a Malay Mail report which quoted Bandar Tun Razak Umno branch leader, Amil Salleh as saying the Prime Minister's Department allocated RM68,000 for the construction of the multipurpose hall.

In her report she queried why the branch was given the allocation since it was part of a political party and not a government agency.

Government assurance

Although the construction work has stopped, the DAP yesterday insisted that authorities explain how the incident occurred.

Teresa's personal assistant Khong Chee Seng, said the government should give an assurance that such an incident would not recur.

Khong claimed the construction ceased only after the DAP sent a letter to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and to the Parliamentary Secretary in the Prime Minister's Department Noh Omar.

He said DAP wants to know how RM68,000 was allocated by the PM's Department to the Umno branch for the construction of the building without obtaining an approval from the City Hall and the land owner.

"It's making a mockery of the whole system of governance," said Khong.

It is also learnt that City Hall issued notices to stop the construction to both the Sri Endah low-cost flats developer, Soon Tiek Development Sdn Bhd, and Umno Bandar Tun Razak.

When contacted by malaysiakini, a City Hall public relations officer said an official statement will be issued soon.