Kajang by-election: Kajang folk say they have endured poor conditions long enough

The Star, Wednesday March 19, 2014 

by christina tan

Real estate agent Wong Jung Lik

KAJANG: Having to endure poor living conditions for years, Hazdi Khalid is looking forward to a change after the Kajang by-election on Sunday.

“I think her manifesto is very practical,” he said of Barisan Nasional candidate Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun’s pledge to resolve local problems in the constituency.

This is one of her four pledges.

Hazdi, who complained about rubbish, poor drainage, and now the water rationing exercise in the constituency, said the people had been suffering for a long time. 

“Pakatan Rakyat has been here for six years, but we do not feel their presence,” said the self-employed 38-year-old.

Chew is in a straight fight with PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in the by-election. The seat fell vacant after PKR’s Lee Chin Cheh resigned in January after winning the seat on May 5 last year. Pakatan also won the seat in the 2008 general election.

Retiree Kok Kam Hoong, 60, said Kajang constituents were looking forward to Chew’s full-time service.

“She has promised us that she will be reachable round the clock to resolve the people’s problems. This is the right attitude of an assemblyman,” he said.

Kok’s views were shared by R. Perumal, 31, who owns a motorcycle repair shop.

N. Ashok Kumar

 

Real estate agent Wong Jung Lik, 33, felt Chew’s voice in the Selangor state assembly would help to provide check and balance in the legislature that is dominated by Pakatan assemblymen.

Businessman Tan Toh Hooi, 64, said he believed that Chew would be able to deliver if she was elected.

“She can do it,” he said, hoping that she could help to resolve the issue of high business licence fees.

N. Ashok Kumar, 27, meanwhile, has reservations about how far any elected rep could help to resolve problems faced by the people.

“We are facing problems like increasing cost of living and water shortage. 

“They (candidates) will make all sorts of promises during campaigning,” he said, 

Hasrin Omar, 45, who has been staying in Kajang for over 20 years and IT manager K. Poobalan, 40, share the same long-standing concern of traffic congestion. 

“It is just too congested. It takes us up to 30 minutes to travel from Jalan Reko to town, which is 3km away,” he said. 

Osman Hasan

 

Businessman Osman Hasan, 59, said he hoped Chew could help resolve local problems that had remained unresolved after six years under Pakatan, citing infrastructure as an example. He also praised Chew for her concern on harmony among Malaysians.

“What attracts me is her pledge to unite the people. To me, there will be no harmony in the absence of understanding and unity among the various races,” he said, referring to Chew’s pledge to be the goodwill ambassador for unity among the people. Chew’s four pledges in her manifesto are to:

> STRENGTHEN the checks and balance in the Selangor state assembly;

> RESOLVE local problems;

> PLAY a constructive role as an Opposition assemblyman; and

> ACT as a goodwill ambassador to unite the people.