These are your representatives to Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ). I encourage you to engage them on issues that are under the jurisdiction of the local council, as they, as your representatives are there to speak up on your behalf.
Today, as we start the State Assembly debates, marks 8 weeks since the 13th General Elections. To the followers of this blog, I would like to apologize for not writing here sooner, but I would like to take this opportunity to thank all Bukit Gasing voters for their overwhelming support for DAP and me in the recent election. Thank you for believing in me and trusting me with your vote.
I am humbled by the mandate entrusted to me. There is a lot that needs to be done to as we look ahead towards building a better City of Petaling Jaya, State & Nation. I look forward to engaging with you, and working together with you towards achieving this.
A special thanks to all those who volunteered during this election period to make this possible. From the stage crew, banner hanging teams, walkabouts, background work, polling & counting agents... and even all those who were campaigning quietly in your homes and offices to your friends and loved ones... Thank you.
I have signed your petition entitled “Petition to all GE13 candidates standing for election on issues relating to Bukit Gasing and Section 5 Petaling Jaya sustainable living issues” that was presented to me as I understand the importance of the core issues to the residents, and am fully supportive of the spirit behind each matter.
I would like to take this opportunity to share with you my thoughts and convictions on the matters raised in the petition.
A. Protection of Bukit Gasing & Development
1.Landslides are a major concern along the hill slopes of Bukit Gasing, and I have witnessed the negative impact of the numerous recent landslides. I pledge to uphold the green lung designation of the PJ side of Bukit Gasing, and to not support the alienation of any new land on Bukit Gasing to private developers for any new development.
2.The maintenance of the hill slope of Bukit Gasing is crucial to preventing further landslides & mudslides. Landowners, both private and public, must take responsibility in this. In cases where neglect/abandonment by landowners result in danger to the lives of residents, I am open to push for the forfeiture of land by the state.
3.Any proposal to develop privately owned land on Bukit Gasing must be scrutinized to the highest degree -- which includes independent geological studies; and done so in a transparent manner by engaging all stakeholders, while being in compliance with all related planning laws and guidelines.
4.The rebuilding of the Sivan Temple is of very high priority, and I will make efforts to ensure that it is implemented with sensitivity and in compliance with all laws and regulations.
B. Traffic Congestion
I fully agree that traffic congestion is a serious concern (as highlighted in Point 7). These are the items that I will be championing if I am elected into office:
1. There must be a proper plan to overcome and tackle peak hour congestions, which I will champion to be created by an independent and qualified traffic consultant. I will push to ensure that this will be implemented by MBPJ.
2.In instances of unavoidable or necessary development, I will speak out to ensure that requirements are imposed to the developer/ development to contribute cost towards the implementation of traffic plans and additional public infrastructure to mitigate traffic congestion.
These issues which are important to you, are important to me. I believe the petition is a start towards engaging closer with the community in finding the best solution. I look forward to continuously communicating with you through the various means we have; be it in person through our town hall sessions and service center, or through our online channels.
Sincerely,
Rajiv Rishyakaran
DAP Candidate for the 13th General Elections for state seat N34 Bukit Gasing
It was recently announced that I will represent DAP to contest in the State seat of Bukit Gasing (N34). Malaysia is a country with huge untapped potential. We could achieve so much more. Let’s start small first, from our neighbourhood, let’s get it right first for the residents. It's time for a better, more prosperous & progressive Malaysia. Yours truly, Rajiv Click to enlarge:
Some of my achievements working as SpecialAssistant to Y.B. Hannah Yeoh (ADUN Subang Jaya) and as an MPSJ councilor. Click to enlarge:
SUBANG JAYA: Nearly 300 households at SS19 low-cost flats are the first beneficiaries of the state’s free wireless internet (WiFi) programme in Subang Jaya, its lawmaker Hannah Yeoh announced on Monday.
Jamal Mohd, from the Rukun Tetangga, said residents can be seen on the field next to the management office in the evenings enjoying the free WiFi.
Installed on Dec 22, the UniFi router in the management office supports data speed up to 5 megabit per second (Mbps).
“We plan to build a gazebo (at the field) in future so that the kids will have a proper place to surf (the Net),” Yeoh told reporters.
She hopes the free WiFi will benefit students or adults from low-income families who need to use the Internet for education or business purposes.
However, Yeoh noted that some residents at the low-cost flats still may not be able to afford laptops or smartphones.
Ani Nawi, who works as a teacher at the flats’ government preschool, said the children at the nursery have to share one computer during classes.
“If any kind corporation or donor can donate a few units of computers, we would really appreciate it,” said Ani.
Yeoh said interested companies or individual donors can contact her office at 03-56312768.
Apart from SS19, she said some 8,000 residents at the Angsana flats at USJ1 will be the next to benefit from Selangor’s free WiFi programme.
The Selangor government has allocated funds under Geran Selangorku to provide free WiFi at two selected areas at each of its 56 state constituencies.
Also present at the press conference were Mohd Daud Abdul Rahman from Subang Perdana Services, Subang Jaya municipal councillor R Rajiv and Zone 1 resident committee chief Zainal Abidin Jamaluddin.
After requesting for an info center for the last few months, I'm glad that Prasarana has finally set this up. Now residents who have questions or queries on the LRT project can turn to someplace.
Prasarana’s new project info centre at Sunway Pyramid
Convenience: The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system is similar to the LRT system but with buses instead of trains plying the elevated road.
SYARIKAT Prasarana Negara Berhad, the project owner for the LRT Line Extension Project (LEP) and the proposed Bus Rapid Transit – Sunway Line, has relocated its Project Information Centre (PIC) at The Summit Subang USJ to a permanent location at Sunway Pyramid.
Located at Level CP2 of the shopping complex, the centre will be operational from today, starting 10am.
“With the opening of our new PIC, the centre at The Summit will be officially closed.
Residents who want to make enquiries on the two projects — LEP and the proposed BRT – Sunway Line — can visit us at our new PIC,” said Prasarana Group Communications and Strategic Marketing head Lim Jin Aun in a statement.
The PIC will be open from 10am to 6pm from Mondays to Fridays, and from 10am to 2pm on Saturdays.
It will be closed on Sundays and public holidays.
“In addition to visiting the PIC, the public can visit www.lrtextension.com for the LEP project and www.brtsunwayline.com for the proposed BRT-Sunway Line project.
“Alternatively, they can call our hotline at 03-7885 2585,” added Lim.
Hailed as a key initiative to ease traffic congestion in the Klang Valley, the LEP will extend the current Kelana Jaya and Ampang LRT lines to Putra Heights, providing transport convenience for residents in Lembah Subang, Kelana Jaya, Subang Jaya, USJ, Bandar Kinrara, Puchong and Seri Petaling.
Launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on June 9 last year, the proposed BRT-Sunway Line is a public-private partnership project between Prasarana and Sunway Group to provide eco-friendly bus services on elevated tracks for residents in Bandar Sunway and Subang Jaya.
For more details, contact Prasarana Communications and Media Affairs senior manager Azhar Ghazali at 019-383 7865.
SUBANG JAYA: A proposal for monthly full board meetings to be broadcast live over the internet in a bid to promote transparency received a lacklustre response from Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) president Datuk Asmawi Kasbi.
“I’m not sure it’s a good idea but we will look into it,” he said in response to the proposal from councillor R Rajiv (pic).
Rajiv explained that the live broadcast would keep residents abreast of current affairs in the municipality while MPSJ would have an effective archival system of their meetings.
“We will be one step towards improving transparency. This will also help the council work more efficiently knowing that someone is watching them,” he said.
He urged MPSJ to consider his proposal and further pointed out that this can be easily done as it does not go against any rules in the Local Government Act.
Rajiv also said the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) is already broadcasting its full board meetings online from this month and called on MPSJ to emulate them.
MPS kicked off their two-month trial run last November by streaming live on the Microsoft Internet Explorer web browser.
“It doesn’t really incur much cost, except for a camera, which we already have and to just put it online,” he added.
Residents who are unable to catch the meetings live will also be able to watch recordings on the council’s website.
Following my last update,
http://www.rajiv4malaysia.com/2012/11/grand-dorsett-court-case.html
The most recent court hearing was 4th February 2013, where Mayland has applied to strike out MPSJ's amended statement of claim. (The date for this hearing to strike out is not known yet)
MPSJ has applied to amend the statement of claim, upon discovering new information with the building plan application and approval, which we believe will strengthen our case.
Some background info to this case:
http://www.rajiv4malaysia.com/2012/07/grand-dorsett-dorsett-place-waterfront.html
I have first called for this more than half a year ago, when the construction works started, as there are lots of people wanting to know more about the LRT construction and finished product. For it to be useful, the info center must be equipped with:
Detailed information of the LRT extension tracks and station locations
Visual/Artist Impressions of the station, especially including the actual surrounding buildings, for people to have a better and easy understanding of what will be coming up
Traffic diversion plans for construction, including phase by phase
Utility (Electricity, Water, Telecomunications) interruption schedule, for all the utility relocating works.
Construction schedules
Commitments by Prasarana with due dates, i.e. road resurfacing schedules
SUBANG JAYA: Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (Prasarana) has beien urged to set up an information centre here to handle queries from residents.
The Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) has received many enqueries about the Kelana Jaya LRT (light rail transit) extension line project which ends at Putra Heights.
“All technical information about the LRT project is with Prasarana and we can’t answer all the questions residents pose to us... residents want to know what is going on,” said MPSJ president Datuk Asmawi Kasbi during the council’s full board meeting yesterday.
He said Prasarana had initially promised to set up an information centre at Summit Subang when they first started work about six months ago.
“They told us a small office would be set up to handle all of residents’ complaints but to date there is nothing,” he said.
Asmawi explained that residents ask about things like the height of the LRT, the station locations, estimated completion dates and the distances between the tracks and their homes.
Meanwhile, MPSJ also received numerous complaints about damaged roads and traffic management system at the LRT construction sites in Subang, Putra Heights and Puchong.
“I hope MPSJ will get engineering officers to patrol the sites daily, to ensure all aspects of the construction are in order, as agreed by both parties before the construction started,” said MPSJ councillor R Rajiv.
He said some roads are blocked off by the contractors as they please and they are not adhering to the traffic management plan agreed upon in the past.
Rajiv pointed out that instead of having two to three lanes open throughout the whole project, Prasarana sometimes only leaves one to two lanes open.
In addition, pilling machines at SS17 and SS18 have been left unguarded throughout the night and are dangerous to residents nearby.
“What if children start climbing the machine because it’s not barricaded and they hurt themselves,” he said.
Rajiv also urged officers to ensure the construction sites are well barricaded, road safety signs are in place and potholes are patched up by Prasarana immediately to prevent road accidents from happening.
SUBANG JAYA: The request of visitors for the park in USJ 2/2R to be lit and furnished with benches has been fulfilled.
The park now has a unit of floodlights at the badminton court and two sets of benches and tables, thanks to Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh and Zone 3 councillor Rajiv Rishyakaran.
Yeoh said the requests were made during a dialogue held in September.
The fund for upgrading the park which amounted to RM14,000 came from Zone 3 Residents Committee as well as Yeoh's allocation from the state government.
Yeoh said the floodlights, which will be switched on from 7pm to 7am daily, was installed by contractor Timur Elektrikal. It will be maintained by Subang Jaya Municipal Council.
"The residents here have asked for another set of floodlights to be installed at the other end of the park. I'll request for that in next year's budget.
"We will continue to improve the recreational facilities for park users, especially the senior citizens.
"I would also like the police to patrol the park," she said.
Yeoh also called on dog owners to ensure their dog are leashed and pick up after their dogs when visiting the park.
Lisa Lim, who has been living in USJ 2 for the past 21 years, said she would visit the park at night now as it is brightly lit.
Lim, who does tai chi exercises on weekdays with her neighbours, said they are exposed to danger and undesirable characters when they go to the park as early as 7am.
"It can be quite dark at that time. Now that there are floodlights here, my neighbours and I feel safe coming here early in the morning.
"More children can also come to the park and play," she said. The former teacher said the benches and tables would encourage residents to get together at the park.
Residents get together at the park. Pic by Rosela Ismail
Some articles from the past. I hope under the new JKP3 committee the urban forest will continue to develop for the recreation and enjoyment of all residents...
Selangor Times: Urban jungle among USJ homes
Writer: Brenda Ch'ng Published: Fri, 18 Nov 2011
SUBANG JAYA: A fresh patch of green is emerging among residential homes in USJ3A thanks to a push by locals for an urban jungle in their backyards.
Last Friday, residents and students planted 1,111 trees during the soft launch of the state’s first urban forest at Persiaran Setia.
The saplings will fill part of the 7.861 acres of green lung, the size of eight football fields, which has been gazetted as a green recreational land called the Urban Community Forest.
The unused plot, owned by Subang Jaya Municipal Council, sits between residential homes in USJ3A and USJ3C.
“This jungle will be both recreational and educational for children to learn about forest trees and rare species,” said MPSJ president Datuk Asmawi Kasbi.
MPSJ president Datuk Asmawi Kasbi (second right) planting a tree with MPSJ councillor R Rajiv (beside Asmawi) with Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne (standing second right), Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh (third right) and USJ residents.
The RM3 million project will be completed in phases next year, and will include facilities such as a jogging track, gazebo and a picnic area.
“We are targeting to plant up to 10,000 trees in the forest by next year, to fill the land and to reduce carbon footprint,” said Asmawi.
Each sapling costs RM100 and was donated by various organisations.
MPSJ has also engaged the State Forestry Department, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) and Malaysian Institute of Planers (MIP) to be advisers for this project.
The urban forest, mooted by the USJ residents committee, has now been included in MPSJ’s 2011-2012 strategic plan, which calls for more trees to be planted in the municipality.
The site was chosen by the residents who wanted to prevent overdevelopment.
“The [residents committee] has fought real hard over the years to preserve any green land they see in their neighbourhood and have been pushing for it,” said MPSJ councillor R Rajiv.
Rajiv, who is the chairperson of the residents committee in his area, commended MPSJ for cooperating with the community.
Joining them at the tree-planting event was Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh, who hoped that other councils would similarly set aside land for an urban forest in their area.
“It is important for a developed city to have an urban jungle as children do not even know what a forest is anymore,” she said.
Yeoh said to make that happen, communities should fight hard for sustainable development to preserve land and gazette it as a green area.
“Other councils can even add animals or fruit trees in their urban jungle,” she said.
Dusun Di Dalam Bandar Bagi Taman USJ2
By EDWARD R. HENRY ewdard@thestar.com.my
A PRIVATE firm has planted 100 fruit trees as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) project on a hillock off Jalan USJ2/2R.
The project, called People’s Orchard, was one of Saint Gobain Construction’s efforts to create a park for the public to come and relax.
Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh said that the top portion of the hillock that once housed radar equipment for the Department of Civil Aviation had been dismantled and the land handed over to the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ).
“With fruits trees grown on top of the hillock and a public park built around it, the park is now a good place for recreational activities. Trees like mango, ciku, soursop, honey guava, kedondong, rambutan and pulasan trees have been planted,” she said.
MPSJ councillor Rajiv Rishyakaran said people would be able to reap the fruits of this labour, literally, in years to come.
Earlier Yeoh, who met the residents living around the area, said she had come to check on the newly installed floodlights and two sets of park table/benches at the park that residents had requested a few months ago in a dialogue session.
“The RM8,730 for the one pole with two lamps and the RM5,000 for the two park tables and eight benches came from my service centre’s allocation. Now, I just want the people to care for the facilities. With the floodlights installed it would help to bring down the crime rate. On the issues of graffiti, vandalism and discarded broken bottles, we need the help of the Subang Jaya district police to conduct patrols in the neighbourhood,” she said.
Yeoh added that her approach has helped to build a strong network with the residents.
Resident Y. Sela said the added facilities and the fruit trees in the park made it a better place for walks in the morning and evening.
“We are a close knit community and improved facilities at a park will augur well as this will encourage neighbours to come out in the late evenings and mingle around,” he said.
Tuan Hj Ghazali bin Shaari
Encik Richard Yeoh Yong Woi
Selangor Times
