Hulu Langat constituency has a few surprises

Wednesday February 27, 2008

By GEETHA KRISHNAN

MANY view the Hulu Langat parliamentary constituency as a sleepy enclave but it wields a few surprises of its own.

Nestled between Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, the constituency, located in the southeast corridor of the Klang Valley, is quietly booming.

The constituency encompasses the Kajang, Semenyih and Dusun Tua state seats.

City folks who want some peace and quiet away from the rat race are investing in properties here and settling down in new townships such as Bandar Sungai Long and Sunway Semenyih.

According to the Population and Housing Census Malaysia 2000, Hulu Langat's population increased from 177,900 in 1980 to 413,900 in 1991 and 865,500 in 2000.

Malays make up 53%, followed by the Chinese (36.5%), Indians (9.7%) and others (0.8%).
The number of registered voters as of September was 87,839 scattered in Kajang (29,095), Semenyih (27,203) and Dusun Tua (31,541).

The constituency is served by the Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Highway, the Cheras-Kajang Highway and the Kajang Outer Ring Road (Silk Highway) with essential links to other major highways.

Traffic jam, flash floods and a poor public transport system are issues that still remain unsolved within the constituency.

Residents are lobbying for the proposed light rail transit system with the last stop at Jusco Cheras Selatan in Balakong to be extended to Kajang and linked with the KTM Komuter plying between Seremban and Rawang.

This way, getting to the city would be easier and would ease the volume of road traffic.

The prolonged issue concerning the Bandar Mahkota Cheras closed access road could be used by the Opposition to swing some votes.

The road has been closed since 2005 as the various parties could not reach a compromise.

The delayed Kajang Semenyih Highway, which was to be completed and opened to traffic seven years ago, could also play on the voters. This highway would have considerably eased traffic in Semenyih.

Incumbent Barisan Nasional Hulu Langat MP Datuk Markiman Kobiran, who won a landslide victory in 2004, is opposed by academician Dr Che Rosli Che Mat (PAS).

Incumbent Kajang assemblyman Datin Paduka Low Lee Leng of Barisan would be contesting against her old rival Lee Kim Sin of Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

Barisan is fielding two new candidates for the Dusun Tua and Semenyih state seats.

Kajang Municipal councillors Ismail Sani and Johan Aziz are replacing former state assemblymen Rahmad Musa and Datuk Ahamad Kuris Mohd Nor respectively.

Traffic nightmare every day

Tuesday February 19, 2008

The road from the Loke Yew roundabout heading to Cheras is known to be congested everyday.

The highway at Taman Connaught is no better. However, the situation gets worse on Wednesdays, thanks to the pasar malam located at Taman Connaught.

DBKL should relocate the pasar malam to a more suitable location. The current location provides no parking place, which forces people to park along the roadside and in the residential areas causing more congestion.

The new road connecting Taman Alam Damai to MRR2 has just opened providing alternative route for road users from other housing areas in Cheras to go to the KL centre. Due to the increase in the toll rate at the Plaza Phoenix Toll plaza, road users from the housing area in Taman Tun Hussein Onn and other areas have started using the new road from Taman Alam Damai to get to MRR2. This has created more traffic congestion in Taman Alam Damai every morning. The traffic light at the junction heading to MRR2 and Bandar Tun Razak needs to be reprogrammed to cater to the high volume of traffic on that road. The traffic sometimes stretches as far as 2km in Alam Damai every morning. DBKL should be more proactive in tackling these problems. Imagine thousands of Ringgit wasted due to the traffic. Relocating the pasar malam and reprogramming the traffic light sequence would do a world of good.

Regards,
Ahmad Luthfee CHERAS

Schools relocation plans approved

Friday February 1, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR: More Chinese primary schools with low enrolment will be relocated to areas where there is increasing demand for the schools.

The MCA and Gerakan's application to allow this was approved yesterday by the Education Ministry.

Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein presented the approval letter to MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting and Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon at Wisma MCA here.

Ong said the new locations, mostly in Johor, Malacca and Klang Valley such as Serdang, Klang and Rawang, had been identified. They are in densely populated areas with high demand of Chinese education.

“The MCA and Gerakan have had several discussions and meetings with the Education Minister on the issues. We also delivered the wishes and opinions of the community.

“For example, many pupils in Sungai Long, Selangor have to wake up early to catch a bus to their schools in Balakong and Cheras, which are miles away.

“With the relocation of the low-enrolment schools, the pupils can attend the schools near their houses,” he said.

Ong thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Hishammuddin for their support on the matter.

Hishammuddin said Chinese, Tamil and religious schools were the strength of the country.
“If the schools can produce Malaysians who are able to represent us and have a place in standing from the emerging market, I feel that we have an advantage.

“This (the relocation of the schools) could not happen if we did not have the trust between us. This will not happen if there is no friendship between the component parties. This will not happen if the Barisan component parties did not have the bigger interest of all Malaysians in heart,” he said.

Dr Koh said the commitment of the Barisan was for the future of all Malaysians and the future of the young generations.

Restaurants throw rubbish on road

Thursday January 31, 2008

I AM writing with concern on the way Malaysian restaurants throw out their rubbish.

I'm a Utar accounting undergraduate at the Sg Long, Selangor, campus. There are a lot of mamak restaurants in Sg Long and recently, I found out that the road behind the restaurants is full of rubbish.

The workers simply throw out rubbish like chicken innards, left over curry etc.

I have observed the situation for more than one week, and see no action by the shop to clean the area.

CONCERNED UNDERGRADUATE,
Kajang, Selangor.