Dengkil is developing rapidly and needs better infrastructure to support the growth. — S.S. KANESAN/The Star
Winner of four-cornered fight for seat needs to address housing, healthcare, transport and land matters
WITH the 2021 floods that severely affected Dengkil in Selangor still in recent memory, voters will be expecting the soon-to-be-elected assemblyman to provide viable solutions to ensure that there’s no such recurrence.
Besides flood mitigation concerns, Dengkil residents are in need of more affordable housing and better access to healthcare services and public transport.
For this year’s state elections, there is a four-cornered fight for the Dengkil state seat.
Noorazli, who is Sepang Umno chairman, is a local boy familiar with the issues in the area.
The Umno stronghold crumbled in the 14th General Election (GE14) when Bersatu’s Adhif Syan Abdullah won the seat for Pakatan Harapan with a majority of 6,934 votes.
In this state election, a Bersatu candidate under Perikatan Nasional and an Umno man representing the unity government are in the running for the seat.
Sepang Umno chairman Noorazli Said is up against Perikatan’s Datuk Seri Jamil Salleh from Bersatu, who previously served as secretary-general for two ministries: Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry, and the Youth and Sports Ministry.
Jamil brings a wealth of experience having been in top management in the government sector.
Noorazli has the advantage of being a local boy while Jamil has a wealth of experience, having been in top management in the government sector.
He has vowed to be an assemblyman who will be present at all times.
He said there were many issues such as housing and floods that needed to be addressed holistically at the state and federal levels.
Prof Ong says Dengkil needs more affordable housing and better medical facilities.
For this campaign, Noorazli has published seven initiatives that he plans to focus on if elected, namely health, infrastructure, religion, education, sports, welfare and economy.
On nomination day, Jamil said if elected, he would use his 40 years of experience and knowledge in the government to not only benefit Dengkil but also the state and the country.
To shake things up further, Dengkil Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) chairman Prof Dr Darren Ong Chung Lee has joined the fray.
Mohd Daud says he will obtain land for a flood retention pond and push for a tram system.
The mathematics professor has narrowed the problems in the area to six main focal points: the need for more affordable housing, upgrading of the Klinik Kesihatan (Health Clinic), flood mitigation, improved bus services, better road conditions and resolution of land issues faced by cattle farmers.
Wanting to be the voice of the underprivileged, Prof Ong said there were many new housing developments but very few were affordable for the B40 group, who make up a significant portion of the constituency’s population.
“The state should prioritise the needs of its dwellers.
“The Klinik Kesihatan here is overcrowded and located on a hill, making it difficult for senior citizens to get there.
“The small-scale cattle farmers are having problems getting land – that too needs to be looked into.
He said that while this was the first time PSM was contesting in Dengkil, its grassroot leaders had been helping the people for over three decades.
Lastly, there is Parti Utama Rakyat chairman Datuk Dr Mohd Daud Leong Abdullah.
He contested for the Sepang parliamentary seat last year but lost, getting 264 votes.
During his campaign trail, he said one of the first things that he would do was to apply for land between 20ha and 40ha to be turned into a flood-retention pond.
“The pond can also be monetised by fitting it with solar panels to harvest energy for the use of industries nearby.
A volunteer helping to clear debris at Labu Lanjut in Dengkil in the aftermath of the severe flood in 2021. — Filepic
“To solve traffic congestion in the state, I would push for the implementation of a tram system, which is a cheaper and efficient alternative to the very costly highways.”
Mohd Daud said he would also donate his salary to charity.
In addition, the lawyer said he would like to see the jury system brought back as he believed it would strengthen the country’s justice system.
Kampung Baru Seri Dengkil community management council chairman Lee Kwai Onn said he hoped the elected representative would attend to the needs of the people.
“We need better health facilities. The present Klinik Kesihatan is too small and old to accommodate the growing population in Dengkil.
“The assemblyman needs to be approachable and responsive to such matters,” he said.
