Sore points: Abandoned housing such as this project in Jalan Wangsa 9, Taman Wangsa Ukay, is among the concerns of voters in Ampang. The owners for this project have been compensated. Another pressing issue is frequent water cuts. — CHAN TAK KONG/The Star
Ampang voters want bigger say in planning community’s future and next MP to really listen to their concerns.
RESIDENTS living along the forested hillside areas of Ampang Jaya, Selangor have four main pillars of concern for the future of the constituency, namely local governance, environment, sustainable economic development and community.
Ampang Jaya Rimba Collective coordinator Noina Baharuddin said the main aim of the group was looking into local governance and creating awareness of issues such as the importance of people’s rights in respect to local government and the draft local plan.
“We want the next Ampang MP to look into local plan issues, and in this case, our recent Ampang Jaya Municipal Council Draft Local Plan 2035 (RT2035) which has fundamental flaws such as not adhering to the principles of the National Physical Plan and State Structure Plan.
Taman Tun Abdul Razak in Ampang is known for its greenery and walking trails. — Photos: ONG SOON HIN/The Star
“We are now in the final stage of this drafting process, which has gone through multiple objections, but the authorities still refuse to listen.
“The draft is still in the hands of the local government.
“The residents and stakeholders are often not included on vital matters that affect the welfare of our neighbourhoods,” she said.
Noina added that the RT2035 draft was not in accordance with Act 172 of the Town and Country Planning Act, which had to follow the national and state plans.
Pekan Ampang, located just off Jalan Ampang and a stone’s throw from Kuala Lumpur city centre, is a quaint jumble of old and new structures.
“Candidates can talk about forests, green spaces, urban areas and terrains as well as conserving the environment in their manifestos but all these are not reflected in the current draft plan.
“These aspiring MPs must listen to our concerns and interests, and they need to remember that the people of Ampang are not just constituents. We are stakeholders and have vested interests here because Ampang is our home.
“MPs and assemblymen will come and go as they are elected by us and they can be replaced by us but the constituents do not change. Elected representatives need to show us the respect we deserve and really understand our issues.
“He or she has to join us in building a brighter and safer future here,” she said.
Residents here also want the incoming MP to look beyond local issues in Ampang.
“The independence of the civil service, judiciary, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) and other uniformed bodies need to be reinforced as a form of check and balance within the government.
“The Ampang MP needs to play a role in strengthening the economy and work with relevant bodies to develop long-term goals and not merely a five-year plan,” said Dr Mohamed Rafick Khan Abdul Rahman, 59, who resides in Bukit Antarabangsa.
He stressed that the next MP must come up with a long-term strategic plan, which is endorsed by various stakeholders and Parliament, to develop the economy, not weaken it.
“I want my MP to work together with others to have a cohesive economic and education plan for Malaysia,” he said.
As the chairman of the National Association for Abandoned Property Owners (Victims), Dr Mohamed Rafick said the country had been plagued with a deluge of abandoned housing projects.
Dr Mohamed Rafick says the Ampang MP must also look beyond local issues.
“Today, there are 52,000 house buyers nationwide who are still affected by delayed, problematic or abandoned home issues.
“We need to strengthen purchasers’ interest and at the same time, develop a sustainable housing industry.
“A good legal framework will give confidence to local and international buyers,” he added.
He said in Selangor where the bulk of abandoned housing problem occurs, the state government could play a greater role by enhancing land enactments and forming a joint task force with the Housing and Local Government Ministry.
“This is logical because there is massive development in Selangor,” he added.
Water disruption is another issue that has been affecting some residents in Ampang over the last decade.
A restaurant owner in Kampung Baru Ampang for the last eight years, Wong Chun Mun, 47, wants the next Ampang MP to highlight this issue in Parliament and find a solution to the chronic problem.
“These are simple, basic needs that have to be addressed.
Noina says stakeholders in Ampang are often not included on vital matters that affect the welfare of their neighbourhoods.
“It is not just a state problem.
“We do not need more housing in Ampang or more development here, it is already overcrowded and the roads are terribly jammed, and worse still, we are dealing with inflation and problems with the economy and flooding.
“I have to deal with frequent water cuts and have to rely on water pump to run my restaurant business,” he said when met during a visit by Barisan Nasional’s MCA candidate for Ampang, Ivone Low Yi Wen, on her GE15 campaign rounds.
Low, a fresh face in politics, said the state and Federal governments must work together and carry out proper planning to overcome water disruption in Ampang.
“It will involve a lot of research and studies pertaining to how they can direct water from other sources and states into Selangor.
“As an MP, we can voice our concerns, but issues concerning land and water are under the control of the state government,” she said.
As far as her campaign trail goes, Low said she had accepted the fact that some voters were hesitant when they see a new candidate from another party in Ampang.
Restaurant owner Wong (right) in Kampung Baru Ampang wants the next Ampang MP to resolve water disruption issues plaguing residents and business owners. — AIDA AHMAD/The Star
“I do not deny this but my advantage is that I am a local Ampang girl.
“There are voters who are happy to see a younger candidate,” she said.
Meanwhile, three-term incumbent and former Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin will be defending the Ampang seat.
This time, Zuraida is contesting under Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM).
She contested under PKR in 2018.
Zuraida was seen on a campaign trail distributing leaflets during a walkabout in Bandar Baru Ampang.
The Ampang Jaya Municipal Council Draft Local Plan 2035 will replace the 2020 version, which was gazetted in 2011 and went through two amendments, in 2013 and 2016.
“It has been encouraging so far and I am focusing on promoting the PBM logo since they already know me in Ampang.
“Voters remember me because they know I have served them well,” said Zuraida.
Rodziah Ismail from PKR who won the Batu Tiga state seat in 2018 and served as a Selangor state executive councillor is also contesting in Ampang.
At the Jualan Ehsan Rakyat Selangor tour programme in Kampung Baru Ampang, Rodziah was busy helping workers pack groceries such as chicken, eggs, oil and rice, which were sold at a special price.
“This is the Selangor government’s programme to help the public save some money.
“The other important thing on my agenda is that people need to have more communication with their elected representatives, so we can be aware about the issues they face, among them being the hillslope problems here in Ampang,” she said.
The other candidates contesting for the Ampang seat are Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif (Perikatan Nasional), Lai Wai Chong (Warisan), Nurul Ashikin Mabahwi (Pejuang) and Independent candidates Muhammad Shafiq Izwan Mohd Yunos, Tan Hua Meng and M. Raveendran.
