Residents: Where are the promised piped water and better roads?

I never expected to spend the Chap Goh Meh morning with a group of senior citizens at Lorong Bukit Nanas, Rantau Panjan, Batu Kawa on Sunday.

Anyway, when I arrived there, the residents were an unhappy lot. They were disgruntled with the services of SUPP State representative in the area.

Apparently, SUPP leaders had been keeping the residents there with false hopes. Not only were they coaxed into believing that SUPP is all the mighty and could do so much for them if they were voted in.

The residents were promised piped water and better roads. But no, for over decades and some 70 years, there is still no sign of improvement.

Imagine staying in a house without proper water and relying on rainwater. After being cheated by the BN government again after the last State election, the group of residents decided to call me in to assist them. Showing me their tar-sealed roads which had turned into gravel roads (due to the lack of maintenance) and certain parts of the gravel roads have never been tar-sealed until todate, the residents were angry that SUPP and its leaders never lift a finger to help them.

They complained that the other residents living on the other side had a better bargain as some were SUPP members. An old woman said even she might not be an SUPP member but she still voted for SUPP. “This time, I am not going to”, she said in anger.

Another resident wondered why Tan Joo Phoi who is the Chairman of the Padawan council would not take advantage of his situation and helped them. Another added in and said the SUPP YBs are just too busy cutting ribbons here and there.

As I took a tour of the area with them, I understand and sympathize with their plights. It’s already bad that after 52 years of independence, water supply is still not fixed in their areas. The government should learn to listen close to the ground to hear out the grievances of the people and really bring development to them.

Do not just do lip service during campaigning and once they won, forget what they have done. As a rakyat representative, I shall bring their matter to the attention of the council and the Water Board so that necessary action can be taken as soon as possible to solve the problems faced by the residents.