Sungai Buloh, DUN Paya Jeras

It looks like it's not only in Wangsa Permai, where one year of complaint has wrought nothing. Previously, people in Taman Ehsan were without streetlights for 20 years, and KIP Sutera Apartments were complaining that there were no streetlights along Persiaran KIP Utama on the way to their apartments for four years. All this are the problems which the "Little Napoleons" at Selayang Municipal Council failed to address. It's also happening here - the Kuala Selangor District Council.

Sungai Buloh is under Paya Jeras, and the State Assemblyman for Paya Jeras, Bushro's (Umno) is right here in Sungai Buloh. Am I right to say that the people are fed up with Bushro for doing nothing, that they now turn to the Local Councillor who is from the Pakatan coalition? After all, the local councillors are our "Voices" in the Local Council (since most of us cannot spare an hour or so every week at the local councils), our "Rotan" whenever the council staff do not do their work. They are also the peacemakers.

Before March 08, Paya Jeras has always been under Umno. What kind of development has the people of Sungai Buloh experienced in the past six years? The local council staff did nothing to improve, neither did their State Assemblyman. BN bringing development? My foot!

This, the Prime Minister should realise how, while some are enjoying huge exploits of the nation's wealth, many are S U F F E R I N G ................

Saturday August 28, 2010

Poor lighting draws flak from market traders

Story and photos by ELAN PERUMAL
elan@thestar.com.my

THE six-year-old wet market in Sungai Buloh, Kuala Selangor is in deplorable condition.

Traders at the market have taken the Kuala Selangor District Council to task for failing to attend to their complaints.

Their major complaint is the malfunctioning of the four units of spotlights in the market.

Poor condition: The market is in dire need of refurbishment.

Without these spotlights, the traders said it was difficult to start business early in the morning.

“We face great difficulty managing our business in the early morning because the normal lightings are not sufficient to light up the market.

“Our supplies reach at 4am and by 6am, we are open for business and it has been very inconvenient without proper lighting,’’ said trader Hasnah Wahid.

Looking into it: Chandran (second from right) having a discussion with the traders during his visit to the market.

Another trader, Clement Sebastian said the spotlights had not been functioning for three years and the district council had not responded to their plight.

He said the traders had reported the matter to the council several times but all these were in vain.

“We received a lot of promises and nothing more,’’ said the fishmonger.

Noriah Mohd, who sells vegetables at the market, said the condition of the market was unbearable and there were no improvements done to remedy the situation.

Makeshift: The lack of facilities at the market has resulted in traders having to use plastic containers to display their products.

She said the trading lots were too small and this forced traders to erect wooden structures in front of their lots.

“The market is filthy and the lack of enforcement has resulted in traders not properly maintaining the cleanliness of their lots and surroundings,’’ she said.

Kuala Selangor district councillor K. N. Chandran who visited the market following complaints from the traders said: “I will forward these complaints to the council.”

He said he would raise the issues at the council’s full board meeting to ensure that the traders’ woes would be resolved.

“I will make sure the issue of the spotlight is addressed as well as the overall maintenance of the market and its compound,’’ he added.