KUALA KUBU BARU, April 29 — The usually quiet town of Kuala Kubu Baru is buzzing — not so much because the residents are excited — because of the influx of party operatives working on the by-election set for May 11.
When asked, the residents mostly say they hope for improvements in their community, in particular the infrastructure.
Kampung Tun Abdul Razak village head Asu A/L Dollah, however, said he hoped for a representative from the ruling party to champion the concerns of the Orang Asli (OA) community.
“We do not care who becomes the representative as long as they can do their job properly but how are they supposed to do their job if they do not have the money?
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“If someone from the ruling party wins, they can help us to at least repair our roofs,” Asu told Malay Mail when met at his house.
He then went on to say he had been applying for electricity supply since 2018 especially at Kampung Bukit Jantung, an Orang Asli village located about three kilometres from where he lives.
“The people are requesting for electricity supply but we got nothing. Of course there are some works done, they did provide solar street lights but it is within the village, not along the road,” he explained.
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Former commander Shamsudin Darus, 51, said elected representatives who did not have access to financial resources were unlikely to be effective.
Shamsudin Darus, 51, agreed that those without financial resources cannot serve the community effectively.
He said there is no point vying for the position if they do not have the financial resources.
“It is just going to exhaust you because when you win, you will be completely stressed out during your entire five-year term,” he added.
Shamsudin said that it does not matter who will become the representative since the status quo remains unchanged regardless.
The former commando said promises may be made during elections, but once the votes are counted, they are forgotten until the next election cycle.
“When elections come around, they show up, make promises, and then vanish until the next election. And as for progress, well, there’s not much to talk about.
“Sure, there are some houses, but real development requires KKB to be the main hub, the heart of Hulu Selangor,” he said.
However, he said not all essential services are readily accessible within the vicinity.
“Not everything is readily available here. Even in the surrounding villages, residents often have to travel considerable distances of 30 to 40 kilometres to reach the nearest hospital.
“Despite having immigration services and other amenities, there remains a gap in comprehensive facilities,” he added.
He hoped the next assemblyman would prioritise the development of KKB.
The May 11 by-election will be a four-way contest between candidates from Pakatan Harapan, Perikatan Nasional, Parti Rakyat Malaysia and an independent.
Meanwhile, a 52-year-old restaurant owner who wanted to be known as Lao said he wished for improved development in KKB, particularly economic growth and cleanliness.
“When you head towards Bukit Fraser, the road is quite dirty. Although there are some issues with the road condition, it is not too bad now.”
Lao also said that the locals are not happy with the parking situation of the area.
He said there are not enough spaces available.
“Currently, there are numerous complaints about parking, as there are not enough spaces available. Many people also find the area too cramped. We should not have to deal with these issues,” he said.
When asked about his opinion of the next assemblyman, he said the candidate’s ability to outperform the late Lee Kee Hiong is what truly matters.