Metro

Monday May 13, 2013

Newly elected assemblymen urged to attend to people’s needs

By CHERYL HEW and ELWEEN LOKE
metroperak@thestar.com.my


AS THE general election has drawn to a close, constituents from all over the state expect their newly elected assemblymen to start performing their duties as the people’s representatives.

While some constituents want their assemblymen to look into issues pertaining to local councils, there are also some who want their representatives to look into the social and welfare problems.

Che Murni Abdul Jalil, 34, hoped her assemblyman would not neglect the need to maintain basic infrastructure in her village in Kampung Kedah, Beruas.

“For instance, potholes on the road should be repaired and street lamps that are out of order should be fixed for the safety of roadusers,” she said.

Che Murni, who works at her mother-in-law’s food stall, said she also hoped the assemblyman would help improve the public transportation system in Beruas.

“Bus drivers not coming in at scheduled hours are causing inconvenience to villagers who do not have their own transport,” she said.

Swiftlet farm operator Yeap Thean Eng, 52, said the assemblymen and state government should focus on heritage restoration work in the historical town.

“Heritage building owners in Taiping have been promised incentives to restore their properties many years ago but most have not received anything yet.

“I believe the assemblyman here should pursue this case as the town cannot afford losing the heritage buildings that forms much of its charm and history,” he said.

Yeap, who is also Taiping Heritage Society president, urged the assemblymen to look into the state of abandoned government buildings and the Taiping wet market, which was over 100 years old.

“The abandoned government buildings have significant historical value and their architecture should be preserved.

“Meanwhile, the wet market is in a deplorable state with dilapidated flooring and old drains despite it being the town’s icon,” he said.

Student counsellor Nathan Khor, 24, hoped his assemblyman would expedite the construction of a flyover near Jalan Hospital above the railway track in his hometown in Titi Serong

He said the flyover, which had been constructed about two months ago, was still not open to roadusers due to cracks in structures.

“We are worried that it might collapse,” he said, adding that an assemblyman should always take note of the people’s concerns and local development.

He said the defective parts should be repaired and the road opened for use as soon as possible to solve the traffic congestion problem.

Project executive Andrew Chong, 29, hoped his assemblyman could do his part to reduce the escalating crime rate in his area.

Other than that, Chong said he had only moved back to the Tebing Tinggi constituency less than a year ago and was not familiar with his assemblyman.

“Because I do not know much about what was happening in my constituency and the person in charge, I do not have many expectations of him or on the promises he made,” he said.

Noah’s Ark Ipoh president Malika Ramiah Oates said elected assemblymen should take more interest in animal welfare issues, which has been overlooked by many in the past.

“Although monetary support for non-profit animal welfare groups will help, the most important thing is to get official support in educating the public in being responsible pet owners by spaying and neutering their pets.

“This way, they will not contribute to the stray population when their pets reproduce and their owners realise that they cannot cope with so many dogs or cats,” she said.

Malika said the animal welfare issue was an important one that deserved more time from the government and assemblymen.

“Not many people are taking an interest in animal welfare despite animals being an important part of our lives and community.

“They are going to coexist with humans forever, so it is only natural that we look into their problems as well,” she said.

Poultry farmer P. Sandramohan, 56, wants his assemblyman to help the underprivileged individuals apply for financial assistance or food aid.

He said in his hometown in Sitiawan, many ordinary folks did not know how to apply for those programmes, which were offered by governmental agencies.

“I need the assemblyman’s help to extend my application for the Welfare department’s MyKasih food aid programme by the end of this month,” he said.

Sanathana Dharma Ashram founder S. Aramban, 68, said the elected assemblyman should not discriminate between races when helping his constituents.

“Since the voters are made up of different races, it is only right that the assemblyman strives to serve all of them,” said Aramban, from Sitiawan.

On a more personal matter, Aramban hoped that the newly re-elected assemblyman for his area could look into the ashram’s drainage problem.

“Our new dormitory for the girls still does not have proper drainage despite the building being completed last February.

“Without the drains, the dormitory cannot get its Certificate of Fitness (CF) and the girls cannot move in,” he said.

Clinic worker Julia Bah Aban, 38, hoped the assemblyman would look into orang asli matters that have plagued the community for many years.

“There are a lot of land disputes throughout the state, where people are trying to wrest away our right to our ancestral land,” she said.

Julia, who lives in Kampung Batu Tujuh, Tapah, said many orang asli villages were also in need of development, as there are some without even electricity or water.

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