Solution for WP

The Resident Association's job is not supposed to be confined to only collecting security fees from the residents every month. 

        I have never objected if they want to have 'security' as long as they do not create problems and think they can do what they like. For example, placing cones, metal poles and drums haphazardly. And boom gate that is locked after 12 midnight. 

        Former YDP of Majlis Perbandaran Selayang Tn Hj Shamsul Shahril Badliza Mohd Noor would not tolerate such nonsense. 

        When he discovered this was happening, the boom gate was confiscated. The poles and drums obstructing traffic flow were also removed. 

        This is one reason why they also removed the pole with CCTV which had earlier caused obstruction to the fire engine (see the video recorded in 2012 but no action by the local council).

 

        We have to learn to co-exist. This is, after all, a guarded community. Unlike the gated community, residents cannot be forced to pay security fees. The Resident Association should focus on solving more issues in the housing estate than fighting with people who do not believe in having security guards. 

        I have on a number of occasions proposed 

        This photograph was taken just this morning. I would like the new Member of Parliament, YB Gobind Singh Deo and Minister of Local Government and Development, YBM Nga Kor Ming to see. After now nearly three years of using the diplomatic channel to complain, nothing has been done to solve this and many other issues. 

        This is because for the past three years now, complaints to (a) ADUAN @MPS (b) Head of Engineering and Head of Perancang Bandar (c) YDP Majlis Perbandaran Selayang Tn Yazid (d) two former DAP local councillors appointed by MP of Damansara Tony Pua (DAP) (e) Elizabeth Wong (PKR) (f) Tony Pua (DAP) (g) Ng Sze Han, state exco in charge of local government (DAP) and (h) Amirudin Shaari (PKR) ended up on deaf ears. 

        At least, YB Gobind came down to the ground to see for himself and earlier, Dato' Ngeh Koo Ham wanted to come and see me personally which was unnecessary since he is in Ipoh. 

        Thanks to Dato' Ngeh for arranging Michelle Ng (Subang Jaya ADUN) and Ng Sze Han to come down to the ground, but Sze Han never turned up  despite being the meeting being organised by a senior in DAP. This justifies what I had said earlier that, if Selangor continues to be run by the current group, it risks losing - if not in the coming state election, maybe in the one following. 

        The culture in Malaysia is such that people who are supposed to serve the public are more interested in spending public funds and by the end of the year, claim that there is not enough budget. In this case, MPS exemplifies what is happening in a number of local councils.

        The unity government under Anwar Ibrahim is right in stopping the wastages that we see with lavish spending on launches and events meant just to create some publicity. Whether it is BN, PH, PN, GRS, GPS or any other coalition, if the third tier of government is not reformed, there will be no end to the wastages, corruption, and poor delivery of services to the people. It will take years before we see improved services on the ground, instead of 'bodek' reports given to the politicians. 

        Back to the photograph above which I took this morning: 

1) The root cause of the difficulty of motorists getting out of the housing estate is due to the congestion on the main road during peak hours.

Throughout the day, the junction is not busy. But this excuse is used by the resident association to turn a small stretch of 30-40 m into one way street so that residents living nearby will have to use a longer road to exit. Instead of having more efficient dispersal, this also creates a longer queue.

I have time and again suggested that this problem can be solved by assigning just one security guard to help manage the traffic. Empower them and problem will be solved. Period. 

2) If you are a visitor here, you will also notice that the signboard can hardly be seen. It should be relocated somewhere between the black car exiting the taman and the golden colour car parked on the side of the road. It does not take a lot of common sense.

Just put it slightly at an angle so that it would not obstruct the traffic. But Majlis' response was just to trim the plant covering the signboard. How many more of these signboards elsewhere that we see being placed which are often covered by trees? Can the local council staff use a bit of common sense if they do not have the manpower to trim the trees? 

        Over here, whenever a complaint is made, MPS would just do something ("work done") but the problem is not solved. This is how they are wasting public funds.

        And when I asked to remove the humps that create a problem to the bottom deck of our vehicles especially Kancil and Honda Citi, they tell me:

(a) the humps were built based on specificiations (see the picture above) but they would not put this in writing. Instead, they asked a local councillor of another zone to forward to me via Whatsapp.

(b) the local councillor suggested that it could be because I drive a Ferrari with a low bottom. Stupid suggestion! I am only driving a 17-year-old Honda Citi, but even that, a new model of Honda Citi also hits the hump!

(c) the same local councillor suggested that I should get 50 signatures and he will have the humps removed.  I told him to stop playing local politics.  I won't mention who, but when I saw these messages, I was pissed off. Who would not be?

He and another councillor are also the one reason why Tony Pua received a lot of brickbats from me.    Complaints to Tony Pua also fell on deaf ears. I have heard similar complaints about Tony Pua. He may claim that he is not a Longkang MP, but at least appoint better person to be on the ground to solve people's problems.

(d) They then said they needed time to do surveys. But when these humps were built, did they even ask residents? No. Exactly this is the reason why when a flash flood happened, MPS had no choice but act immediately. 

(e) Now, the head of engineering is tell me that they want to 'menambaikkan' these humps, but awaiting for budget. Why waste money when the humps do not serve a purpose? It is as if, IMMEDIATELY after the security gate, motorists will pick up speed to 100 km/hour. After all there is already another smaller hump just before the cornering. INSTEAD, MPS should spend the money to place a reflective mirror here. 

        So, one promise after another they gave to YB Gobind, which was conveyed to me. Yet, all this jest, the state exco in charge of local government from DAP, Ng Sze Han cannot even instruct MPS what to do? 

        Did he even come down to the ground to see for himself? If not, he should at least have the courtesy to ask Michelle Ng who witnessed a Kancil hitting its bottom when driving over these humps. Don't blame me for throwing brickbats when even both Sze Han and Amirudin know about the issues here! 

        I hope Anwar gets to read this blog post and see if he knows what needs be done. I don't think I even need to say anything further as he is serious about bringing positive reforms to this nation (including the third tier of government which is why the ministry is now known as Ministry of Local Government and Development, no longer Ministry of Housing and Local Government).

        I believe we all want to be on par if not ahead of Indonesia, but it is the 'underlings' that need to be dealt with in all our local councils.