MCA: We’re better at public facilities upkeep than Selangor agencies

MCA has criticised Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) councillors appointed by the Selangor state government for allegedly failing to maintain public facilities in Petaling Jaya since assuming power in 2008.

MCA Petaling Jaya Utara division chairperson Tan Gim Tuan alleged that there have been public complaints about the state of public facilities, in particular community halls maintained by the council.

“The deplorable condition of the community halls and public facilities are reasons enough for anyone including MCA do not have much faith in the government agencies, under the present state and local government, to get the job done.

“We are disappointed that the present elected representatives cannot even get their own government agencies to maintain the community halls that BN built and handed over to them when they won the right to be the government in Selangor.

“What is worse is that we begin to see a flurry of window dressing exercises to show minor improvements on public amenities, that coincide all too well with the approach of the general elections, instead of a plan of consistent improvements throughout the years as was promised,” claimed Tan in a statement today.

No specific community halls were named.

In contrast, he said MCA had the “know-how and expertise” as well as track record in maintaining public facilities.

"No, this is not a boastful statement from MCA.

“MCA will fund the development and maintenance of these public services facilities because we have the capacity to do it.

“We have set up UTAR (Univeristi Tunku Abdul Rahman) on both private commercial land and on state-approved land.

“Until today, UTAR operates under an independent panel of professionals and educators. The benefits and value of such an education centre are priceless to the society and is an example of what MCA can achieve for the community,” added Tan.

MCA will build public service facility

Meanwhile, Tan expressed his annoyance over how DAP’s Damansara Utama assemblyperson Yeo Bee Yin, has been “confusing” the public over MCA’s commitment to building a public service facility on a disputed piece of land.

Yeo previously claimed Selangor MCA had applied to the state government to have a piece of land it owned in Kampung Cempaka, Petaling Jaya, re-zoned into a commercial space in March this year. It was previously designated as a water body.

“As political opponents, I understand that Yeo and her personal assistants (who are now appointed MBPJ councillors) need to follow the ‘script’ to attack MCA incessantly to secure their own political future.

“But make no mistake that MCA intends to deliver on our pledge...to build a public service facility and use the land for public purposes,” Tan said.

Yeo had also claimed that the land was purchased in 2008 at RM1 per square foot for a total of RM52,000, when the estimated market price was RM400 per square foot, bringing the supposed price of the land to RM18 million.

Tan questioned her market price estimation for the land.

“We are still waiting for Yeo to clarify on what basis she claimed that the land was valued at RM 400 per square foot.

“Is this the value of mixed development or commercial high rise development, similar to the developments in PJ Section 13 and Taman Megah, which were recently approved by the elected Petaling Jaya representatives and MBPJ members under Pakatan Harapan’s leadership?” he asked.- Mkini