30-year-old RA a champion of people‘s issues

Chan (second from left) and Taman Desa RA president Wong Chan Choy (right) with other members in front of the RA pondok.

IN July 1978, about 120 residents of Taman Desa in Jalan Kelang Lama, Kuala Lumpur, held a meeting at the carpark of the developer’s office to discuss the problems they faced such as security, street lighting, rubbish collection, and the lack of infrastructure.

That Sunday morning more than 30 years ago, the Taman Desa Residents Association (TDRA) was set up and its pro tem committee of 10 people was elected. Back then, only Phase 1 and 1A of Taman Desa were ready and the population numbered only 700.