PUCHONG: Perikatan Nasional’s candidate for Kinrara Wong Yong Kang is familiar with the goings-on and local issues in the Selangor state constituency, having lived and worked in Puchong for more than 20 years.
The 49-year-old said he runs a packaging and machinery trading business for the food and beverage industry based in Taman Kinrara.
He now resides in Bandar Kinrara, and before that in Pusat Bandar Puchong.
"Based on my interactions with residents even before campaigning started, they had a lot of complaints but said it was difficult to meet the (incumbent) assemblyman and local councillors here," said Wong on Monday (July 31), after making his campaign rounds at the morning market and neighbourhood shops in Jalan Merak, Bandar Puchong Jaya.
"Their complaints are about illegal rubbish dumping, insufficient rubbish collection, abandoned cars and clogged drains.
"I try to channel the complaints to the relevant departments at Subang Jaya City Council whenever possible, as I’m familiar with how the council works."
The father of three has been introducing himself as "Ah Kang" during his campaign rounds, as he said it was an easier name to remember.
"The state elections are tough for new candidates like me, as we have limited resources and the party lacks sufficient funds to be given to all its candidates to campaign," said Wong.
"So we have to use our own funding or appeal to personal supporters for help.
"My election campaign materials such as flyers, banners and posters are expected to arrive later today (July 31)."
The Puchong Bersekutu (Bersatu’s non-bumiputra wing) wing chief said he has 15 years’ experience in politics, having held various posts with his former party MCA in his hometown in Melaka.
Wong, who is launching his manifesto for Kinrara next week, felt it was time for new political leadership in Kinrara and Selangor.
"There are several issues I want to champion if I am elected as assemblyman," he said.
"Residents are asking for a mid-sized government hospital with about 70 beds to be built here, as Hospital Serdang is too far and very busy.
"I was told that the site is already available for such a facility in Bandar Kinrara 5.
"For the B40 group, I hope to create more job opportunities with stable income for them, while the M40 group needs more affordable housing and infrastructure improvements.
"The ageing drainage system in Taman Kinrara 1 and Taman Kinrara 2 needs to be upgraded to address the flood issue in those neighbourhoods."
To address traffic congestion in Puchong, Wong opines that the government and private sectors should allow its staffers to observe flexible work hours so they could avoid being stuck in traffic jams.
Acknowledging that it would be impossible to meet the 123,782 registered voters in Kinrara within the two-week campaign period, Wong said his campaign strategy was to target specific groups of voters and resident groups.
"For example, I will be meeting those who need a political leader’s help to address issues and having informal discussions with residents through Residents’ Associations or Joint Management Bodies," he said.
The Kinrara state seat will see a straight fight between Wong and incumbent assemblyman Ng Sze Han (PH-DAP).
