CARETAKER Selangor menteri besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari had recently announced that Klang will soon be given city status.
For example, the residential housing estate where I live, Taman Bijaya, is still prone to flash floods, water-logging and stagnant drains despite numerous complaints to the MP, the state representative and councillor.
The Klang Municipal Council (MPK) is no better at responding to complaints. The possibility of floods is a major threat to our lives and property, and mitigation or the elimination of floods should be the number one priority of the administrators and politicians.
It is hoped that the state election candidates in the Klang parliamentary constituency will take note of the problems plaguing the Klang townsfolk for years.
Whether a city status will make Klang better remains to be seen. For a start before the conferment of city status, MPK should upgrade the whole of Klang focusing primarily on cleanliness, better infrastructure especially roads and drains, parking facilities, the ease of traffic congestion as well as the innovation of better flood prevention measures.
Effective flood prevention measures are important and Klang’s insanitary conditions can be traced to poor drainage as well as rubbish clogging up drains and waterways.
Needless to say flood prevention will be the most important issue to be considered when Klang attains city status.
The new administrative status should be used as a catalyst for all crucial municipal and infrastructural improvements such as large retention ponds, overcoming traffic congestion, general beautification, more recreation parks with better facilities for young and old, and re-development of dilapidated buildings, upgrading of municipal services and strict supervision of the KDEB Waste Management, overcoming littering and pollution, greater concern for the environment, more government staff to ensure better administration and competent supervision of services.
There are numerous abandoned buildings all around Klang and together with the vacant, unkempt plots they are an urban eyesore.
Land values are bound to increase with city status. The MPK administration should ensure that all these local problems affecting residents can be overcome with more allocations from the federal and state governments.
Commercial activities and business can also get a boost from city status. Klang needs to be spruced up all around, and shops and buildings given a new coat of paint to mark the celebration.
Klang, which is also the Royal Township, needs improvements and betterment in all aspects and if the city status can herald all these, Klang folks will be proud of their city. – July 31, 2023
Mathews Joseph is a FocusM reader.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main pic credit: Malay Mail
