The Star, Thursday November 7, 2013
People
person : First-time Bangi assemblyman Mohd Shafie says he wants to
improve infrastructure, transport and urban services in Bangi.
MOHD Shafie Ngah describes himself as a small-town boy at heart.
The first-time Bangi assemblyman was raised in the small town of Sekinchan, Selangor.
“I grew up in a diverse community. Malays, Indians and Chinese lived and worked together, mostly as padi planters or fishermen,” said Shafie.
The ninth of 11 children furthered his studies at Universiti Malaya, graduating with a degree in Syariah law in 1990.
He worked as a university lecturer and a Syariah lawyer, before starting his own practice.
The PAS member has been active in politics since his student days.
He was a Kajang municipal councillor and assistant to former Bangi assemblyman, Dr Shafie Abu Bakar.
Shafie has put his law career on hold to focus on serving the community.
“Handling problems full-time can be very challenging, but I enjoy helping wherever I can,” he said.
Shafie pointed out a quirky coincidence about the assemblymen in his constituency.
“The previous four assemblymen in Bangi are all called Shafie. It seems the name has become synonymous with the area,” he joked.
The 47-year-old is an avid sportsman who enjoys camping and hiking.
“These days I have a busy schedule, but I find time to cycle around Bangi town once a week,” he added.
He also enjoys reading, but only has time to catch up on current affairs late at night after work.
The doting father of five children — four boys and a girl — finds juggling work and family life tough.
“I am committed to serving the public but I do not want to neglect my family,” said Shafie, adding that he makes it a point to have dinner with them at least twice a week.
He draws inspiration from his late father who was a village head and imam in his hometown whose principle in life was: “We come from a society, and therefore should give back to society.”
Shafie described Bangi as an urban and suburban area, with a highly educated population composed of 60% Malay, 30% Chinese and 10% Indian.
He said his goal was to improve infrastructure and urban services such as rubbish collection and landscaping.
“Currently the urban services are not satisfactory due to the lack of funds and staff as well as huge coverage area,” said Shafie.
He has set up a team to conduct regular checks on contractors.
Another issue of concern is the lack of proper infrastructure and transport planning which can lead to other problems such as flash floods and congestion.
“Bangi has become a hub for people not only from town but places such as Putrajaya, Nilai and Puchong,” he said.
He also plans to have campaigns promoting cleanliness and safety, such as Bangi Bersih and Bangi Selamat.
“The Bangi Bersih campaign will have ongoing programmes, such as encouraging volunteers to dispose of illegal stickers,” he said.
Another important issue is safety.
“We will be launching a community policing programme in collaboration with the police soon, involving engagement with local residents associations.”
Shafie feels that public involvement is important in ensuring a better quality of life.
Road safety is also an aspect he wants to improve on.
“We will work towards upgrading roads and providing more efficient public transport,” he said.
Shafie’s service centre is at 37A, Jalan 7/7C, Seksyen 7, 43650 Bandar Baru Bangi. To reach him, call 03-8920 0511.
The first-time Bangi assemblyman was raised in the small town of Sekinchan, Selangor.
“I grew up in a diverse community. Malays, Indians and Chinese lived and worked together, mostly as padi planters or fishermen,” said Shafie.
The ninth of 11 children furthered his studies at Universiti Malaya, graduating with a degree in Syariah law in 1990.
He worked as a university lecturer and a Syariah lawyer, before starting his own practice.
The PAS member has been active in politics since his student days.
He was a Kajang municipal councillor and assistant to former Bangi assemblyman, Dr Shafie Abu Bakar.
Shafie has put his law career on hold to focus on serving the community.
“Handling problems full-time can be very challenging, but I enjoy helping wherever I can,” he said.
Shafie pointed out a quirky coincidence about the assemblymen in his constituency.
“The previous four assemblymen in Bangi are all called Shafie. It seems the name has become synonymous with the area,” he joked.
The 47-year-old is an avid sportsman who enjoys camping and hiking.
“These days I have a busy schedule, but I find time to cycle around Bangi town once a week,” he added.
He also enjoys reading, but only has time to catch up on current affairs late at night after work.
The doting father of five children — four boys and a girl — finds juggling work and family life tough.
“I am committed to serving the public but I do not want to neglect my family,” said Shafie, adding that he makes it a point to have dinner with them at least twice a week.
He draws inspiration from his late father who was a village head and imam in his hometown whose principle in life was: “We come from a society, and therefore should give back to society.”
Shafie described Bangi as an urban and suburban area, with a highly educated population composed of 60% Malay, 30% Chinese and 10% Indian.
He said his goal was to improve infrastructure and urban services such as rubbish collection and landscaping.
“Currently the urban services are not satisfactory due to the lack of funds and staff as well as huge coverage area,” said Shafie.
He has set up a team to conduct regular checks on contractors.
Another issue of concern is the lack of proper infrastructure and transport planning which can lead to other problems such as flash floods and congestion.
“Bangi has become a hub for people not only from town but places such as Putrajaya, Nilai and Puchong,” he said.
He also plans to have campaigns promoting cleanliness and safety, such as Bangi Bersih and Bangi Selamat.
“The Bangi Bersih campaign will have ongoing programmes, such as encouraging volunteers to dispose of illegal stickers,” he said.
Another important issue is safety.
“We will be launching a community policing programme in collaboration with the police soon, involving engagement with local residents associations.”
Shafie feels that public involvement is important in ensuring a better quality of life.
Road safety is also an aspect he wants to improve on.
“We will work towards upgrading roads and providing more efficient public transport,” he said.
Shafie’s service centre is at 37A, Jalan 7/7C, Seksyen 7, 43650 Bandar Baru Bangi. To reach him, call 03-8920 0511.
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