FOR Teh Eng Hock from Subang Jaya, Selangor, a vibrant and close-knit community is worth building.
It is this belief that drove him to set up the Subang Jaya Recreational and Cultural Club, also called My SJ Club.
Established in March, the non-profit club has organised various recreational activities for residents, including a clay workshop and a keychain-making session for Mothers Day.
Apart from activities to bring residents together, Teh also tried addressing public complaints and educating residents on how to raise issues effectively.
“When there are many complaints in a neighbourhood, community harmony is affected,” said Teh, adding that residents’ organisations such as the rukun tetangga (RT) were often sought to address neighbourhood issues.
However, instead of going to the RT for everything, he said residents should channel issues to the right platform for quicker solutions.
“There are about 6,000 residents in SS17,” said Teh, who is also the SS17 RT chairman.
“If even 10% of them channel complaints to the RT, it would take up a significant amount of volunteers’ time, reducing their ability to organise other community activities and events.”
Teh said he has taught residents how to take photographs of their concerns and upload them to the Public Complaints Management System (Sispaa).
The process of raising issues becomes more credible and transparent through the complaint reference number issued by the system, he added.
Teh, who grew up in SS12, Subang Jaya, said during gotong-royong activities, residents often said they were taxpayers and that such matters should be taken care of by the authorities.
“So I introduced the concept of a digital gotong-royong, whereby residents are empowered to lodge complaints directly with Subang Jaya City Council and KDEB Waste Management Sdn Bhd through the Respons Rakyat app,” he said.
Teh, 44, said the SS17 RT regularly conducted neighbourhood safety patrols.
“Patrols are carried out about three times a week, between 9.30pm and 10.30pm.
“About 16 residents aged between 30 and 70 take part in the patrols,” he said.
Teh, who is passionate about football, regularly played with firefighters and police officers stationed in Subang Jaya to foster stronger relationships.
He also spoke about how they were always willing to assist the community.
“Although my son does not play football, I volunteered to be part of the coaching team for the Under-12 squad at his school,” he said.
“Training at 3.30pm every day for weeks, as we prepared for the District Schools Sports Council (MSSD) tournament, was not easy for the coaches and players.
“I studied numerous online videos and used my own experience training at university, as well as with the Johor police team, which was preparing for the Johor FA Cup at the time.”
Teh, who is a regular face in SS17, noted how schoolboys, especially Malay students, would greet him respectfully with a “salam” – a gesture he said helped bridge gaps between communities.
Teh said My SJ Club’s activities also include the B40 communities in Subang Perdana Goodyear Court and Pangsapuri Sri Tanjung.
He said widening community outreach was important, because when people know one another, they become better neighbours.
