Amirul Azizan (centre) flanked by Subang Jaya deputy mayor Mohd Zulkurnain Che Ali (left) and MBSJ deputy secretary Ismail Salim holding posters promoting upcoming events in the city.
Mayor: Subang Jaya residents will soon be able to relay issues via WhatsApp for quicker resolution
SUBANG Jaya City Council (MBSJ) will establish 24 WhatsApp channels “as soon as possible” for people to report complaints directly to its departments.
“It will serve to connect residents more quickly to the city council,” said Subang Jaya mayor Datuk Amirul Azizan Abd Rahim, adding that the target was to establish the WhatsApp channels by next month.
“For example, a complaint on potholes will be directed to the Engineering Department.
“Residents will need to take photos and send the exact location through WhatsApp to enable MBSJ to follow up.”
Amirul Azizan said the phone numbers would be posted on MBSJ’s social media platforms and its website landing page.
On how the 24 WhatsApp channels differed from MBSJ’s existing WhatsApp Biz line, MBSJ Corporate and Strategic Management Department director Muhammad Azli Miswan said the WhatsApp Biz line was only for enquiries related to council revenue, such as taxes and licensing.
Amirul Azizan was speaking after chairing MBSJ’s full board meeting at the council’s headquarters in USJ5, Subang Jaya, Selangor, yesterday.
During his swearing-in ceremony as the city’s fourth mayor last week, Amirul Azizan said having the 24 dedicated WhatsApp channels for each of its departments would allow MBSJ to resolve issues more efficiently.
Prior to the meeting, a memorandum-of-agreement signing ceremony was held between MBSJ and Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) to organise a competition focused on redesigning the SK 10 Seri Kembangan public market.
The new two-storey market occupying a 0.267ha site will have modern facilities and include elements in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals such as rainwater harvesting.
The ground floor will house wet goods and fresh produce, while the upper floor will be for dry goods, food stalls and a community centre.
MBSJ will submit an allocation request of RM12.5mil to the Housing and Local Government Ministry under the 12th Malaysia Plan for the project.
When asked if the redesigned market would have parking facilities, Amirul Azizan said building space was limited and shoppers would be encouraged to take the public transport.
“As SK 10 Seri Kembangan is near residential areas, most residents either walk or ride motorcycles to reach it,” he said, adding that during a benchmarking visit to Taiwan to observe its markets, they noticed that many did not have parking facilities.
Amirul Azizan said MBSJ’s key concerns now were the building’s design, which was important for the tender process, and securing allocation for its construction.
The mayor also checked out posters promoting MBSJ’s upcoming events, which included the “Fly the National Flag” campaign from Aug 1 to Sept 16 and its next Car-Free Day on Aug 11.
