Mayor advised to visit City Hall flats himself
22/05/2007 The Star By Stuart Michael

MEMBERS of the public cheered and clapped as one brave woman told Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan to visit City Hall flats and hold its Mesra Rakyat dialogues there instead of at other venues.

The unidentified woman said City Hall would not know the grouses of the people if its officials did not visit the people in their respective areas.

Speaking during City Hall’s Mesra Rakyat programme held at Stadium Titiwangsa on Sunday, the woman said it would be more convenient if such dialogues could be held at the flats as many residents found it difficult to travel to the other venues.

Speaking up: Loo Kok Hing, 64, from Taman Kaya, at the microphone to air his grouses to the panel as others wait for their turn to speak during the Mesra Rakyat at Stadium Titiwangsa. The woman left the hall as soon as she had said her piece.

Members of the public were given two hours to air their grouses to City Hall and the relevant departments during the programme. As there was not enough time for all complainants to be heard, many just sat in their seats and listened.

At the end of the dialogue many people were seen still lining up to make their grouses heard. One of them said Ab Hakim should have more dialogues with residents living in City Hall flats and apartments to hear out more problems.

The Mesra Rakyat programme, jointly organised by the Public Complaints Bureau of the Prime Minister’s Department and City Hall, started at about 8am. However, dissatisfied residents only managed to start asking questions at 10am.

Besides City Hall, the Kuala Lumpur Police, Federal Territory Religious Department (Jawi), Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Syabas, Alam Flora, Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd, FT Land and Mines Department, FT Depart-ment of Environment, FT Infor-mation Department and FT Regis-tration Department were here to address the public complaints.

A resident known as Haji Hakim, 81, from Kampung Pasir in Segambut, was the first to speak in dialogue, stating that he had send five letters to the City Hall about many dogs and mosquitoes in the area.

Listen and act, please: The panel of City Hall officials and heads of government departments present at the dialogue.
“I want an answer from the mayor and urge him to reply the letters that we have sent,'' he said.

Loo Kok Hing, 64, a resident from Taman Kaya said that SRJK (Chinese) Lai Chee in Batu 3 1/2 Jalan Ipoh had fenced up part of Jalan Cumarasamy into their compound.

He said residents there want the road widened as traffic was congested especially before and after school hours.

“It is not right to fence part of the road and we have written to City Hall on July 28 last year followed by Dec 18 last year but there is still no answer,''

Ab Hakim said that he would look into all the issues raised immediately

Ahasrap Khan Mohd Aslam, who is chairman of Mutiara Magna in Metro Prima in Kepong, pointed out that Magna Park Sdn Bhd had sent them a notice informing them that they would be charged an extra 10% of their maintenance fees if residents did not pay their water bills.

A Syabas official said Magna Park Sdn Bhd was not allowed to cut residents’ water supply or charge any extra fee to residents refusing to pay water bills as only Syabas had the authority to do so.