Growing township: There are over 70 residential areas in Bercham, which is about 12km from Ipoh city. — RONNIE CHIN/The Star
Assemblyman lists multiple persistent issues raised by Bercham residents requiring action
Folk in Bercham, near Ipoh in Perak are hoping that a host of ongoing issues in the area, from flash floods and cleanliness to animal pests making a mess, will finally be addressed.
Bercham assemblyman Ong Boon Piow said he had his hands full trying to solve multiple long-standing problems.
There have been reports that monkeys are creating a nuisance at a Siamese temple and nearby Taman Ramai.
According to Ong, there is a large population of monkeys on the hill where Wat Trumcitta Vipassana Temple is located on Laluan Hulu Bercham 1.
These monkeys, he said, vandalised the temple property as well as houses in the neighbourhood.
Bercham folk hope long-standing issues in the area can be resolved by the authorities soon. — Photos: RONNIE CHIN/The Star
“Several people feed these monkeys outside temple grounds, so, many of them come to the compound looking for food.
“When there is not enough food, they go to the nearby houses, rummage through rubbish bins and steal fruits from the trees cultivated by residents.
“Some residents say their cars, parked outside their houses, have been scratched by monkeys,” he added.
Ong said the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) was alerted about the menace and had placed a large cage in the temple grounds to catch the monkeys.
However, it is suspected that those feeding the monkeys have been helping the monkeys to escape capture.
Ong said that at one point, there were about 30 monkeys trapped.
The almost completed Politeknik Ungku Omar project in Bercham.
Residents told him that they saw some people stepped in to help the monkeys escape before Perhilitan personnel arrived.
“The people who feed the monkeys feel that we are being cruel to the animals, but that is not the case as Perhilitan personnel will catch the monkeys and release them into the wild.
“I advise the public to stop feeding these monkeys, and let the authorities carry out their work.
“Otherwise, action can be taken for obstructing the work of civil servants,” he added.
One of the temple’s helpers, Leong Mee Lian, 66, said the building’s ceiling, awning and lights had been damaged by the monkeys.
She said the primates would come to the temple between 7am and 8am, and at about 5pm.
Monkeys are said to be vandalising Wat Trumcitta Vipassana Temple property in Bercham.
“With several sections of the temple ceiling damaged, rainwater leaks through.
“The engraved donor name plates fixed to Buddha statues have also been removed and taken by the monkeys.
“Some devotees say monkeys have snatched food from children too,” she added.
Taman Ramai resident Mak Zhi Xuan, 19, said monkeys could be seen wandering around the residential area.
He said the animals rummaged through dustbins looking for food and would leave a mess.
“At my house, we have mango and rambutan trees, and monkeys have been taking the fruits.
“Children in the area are afraid to go out and play, while residents worry about going for their morning and evening walks,” added Mak.
Lack of maintenance
Over at the Bercham wet market, traders are complaining about pigeon droppings.
Ong said the market, which was built in the 1990s, had no ceiling and pigeons would perch on the beams.
“We are thinking of getting a pest control service to deal with this.
“Traders tried hanging old CDs from the rafters in an effort to keep the birds away – as theories have suggested that birds fear their own reflection and avoid landing at areas with plenty of reflective light.
“However, that method is definitely not working, as pigeons are still landing there,” he added.
Several flood mitigation plans are in place to reduce the frequency of flash floods in Bercham. - Ong Boon Piow
If the pest control also failed to resolve the problem, Ong said he would request Ipoh City Council (MBI) to instal a ceiling at the market.
Trader Tan Pik Kiew, 46, who has been selling mixed rice at the market the last eight years, said the pigeons were a nuisance.
She said each day after closing her stall at 1pm, she would wash the walkway near her stall, where the staircase was located.
“The next morning, when I open my stall, there are bird droppings everywhere and customers get upset with me for not keeping the place clean. This is beyond my control.
“I hope something is done soon because this is a long-standing issue,” she added.
Traders and customers say the Bercham market floor is full of pigeon droppings because the birds often perch on the beams.
Tan also complained that toilets on the first floor were not functioning nor cleaned properly.
She said a caretaker charged 50sen per entry, but the male toilet was always closed.
“So everyone uses the women’s toilet, where only one cubicle is working properly,” she said, adding that this was unacceptable.
In response, Ong said he would inform the city council to check on the toilets.
Flood hotspots
Another issue in Bercham are flash floods, to which Ong said several mitigation plans were in place to reduce the frequency of such incidents.
He noted that areas such as Taman Desa Impian, Taman Kinta Mas, Taman Tasek Indra, Taman Tasek Dermawan, Taman Ramai and Bercham industrial park were prone to flooding during a downpour.
He said Bercham was initially a new village and in the 1990s, there was demand for new housing schemes.
But without proper planning for the drainage system, he said, it could not cope with the high volume of water.
“In addition, some retention ponds were covered up with soil and turned into residential areas.
The retention pond in Taman Pakatan was deepened in August.
“Several people have told me that when they initially bought their houses, there were no flash floods in the first 10 years, but as the area developed, the problems started,” he added.
Ong said some of the remedial works that were in the planning stages included converting a few playgrounds into receiver ponds.
This, he said, would allow the playgrounds to temporarily collect rainwater during a downpour.
Then once the rain stopped, the water would be released into the drains through a pipe network installed at the ponds, he elaborated.
Ong said two playgrounds had so far been identified at Taman Desa Impian and Taman Kinta Mas, and a tender on the project would be submitted to the ministry for approval.
“The short-term plan is clearing clogged drains and cleaning the retention ponds, where one of the ponds in Taman Pakatan was deepened in August.
“We can reduce the frequency of flash floods with these measures in the residential areas that are primarily affected,” he said, adding that it was important as well to ensure that all the water pumps were functioning well.
(From left) Ng, Bercham New Village chief Loh Kwek Choon and Ong looking at an illegal dumpsite at Hala Industri Bercham 2, near the Bercham light industrial area.
Ong said the second-most frequent complaints (after flashfloods) that his service centre received are on illegal dumping.
He highlighted that between 60% and 70% of the illegal dumpsites had been cleared.
He said they were able to do this with the help of undercover enforcement officers and by raising awareness besides giving free rubbish bins to residents.
“I have informed the city council to put up signboards stating the RM1,000 fine for those caught dumping rubbish illegally.
“Some residents provide enforcement officers with photos and videos of those illegally dumping rubbish in certain areas, with visible car registration plates that allow the city council to issue compounds.
“All these steps have helped to reduce the number of illegal dumpsites,” he noted.
Stern warnings and compounds have also been issued to contractors who simply discard building materials such as bricks, old toilet bowls and concrete slabs at remote areas, said Ong.
MBI councillor Ng Haen Vee said 3,500 rubbish bins had been distributed to residents from last year until September this year.
He said there were plans to hand out between 1,000 and 2,000 bins before year-end.
Ng says there are plans to hand out between 1,000 and 2,000 bins before year-end.
“We give out these bins in stages. There are more than 70 residential areas, and about 30% of these areas have been provided with bins,” he added.
Ng said people must remember that discarding rubbish improperly would not only clog drains, but also turn these areas into a mosquito breeding ground.
“People also sweep rubbish and leaves into drains, and expect council workers to handle the cleanliness,” he added.
On a positive note, several roads in Bercham had been resurfaced, said Ong.
“Lorong Bercham 17 and 18 in Kampung Baru Bercham was resurfaced two month ago.
“Besides that, about 10 other pothole-riddled roads in several residential areas have also been resurfaced,” he stated.
Ong also said the construction of a polytechnic branch in Bercham, which stalled in 2022 because of a rise in cost of materials, was now expected to be completed by Nov 28.
He said 98% of the structural works had already been completed.
“When the unity government took over, they received an allocation and work resumed.
“With this project, it will create more economic development in the surrounding areas and more demand for housing rental, as the polytechnic branch has no student accommodation,” he added.
