SELangkah gets Getting ahead Seeking change New stories for an an upgrade of the virus for women old town

4 7-9 10&11 14 FREE l MARCH 2021 EDITION l www.selangorjournal.my A shot of hope ith the arrival of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine in Malay- sia on Feb 21, Selangor is making plans to ensure that all its cit- izens will have equal access to the immunisation programme. Aside from the doses provided by the Federal government, the Wstate administration will see through its plan to buy between two and five million shots of the vaccine for the people of Selangor. Should the plan come through, they will MORE ON arrive in May or June. PAGE 3

Leading by example, Selangor Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri gets his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, admin- istered by a health officer from the Petaling Health District Office on Feb 25. This kickstarts the state-level National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme — Picture by 2 NEWS Selangor Journal l MARCH 2021

Exco: Serious pollution incidents averted

By NORRASYIDAH ARSHAD

SHAH ALAM - The implementation of several strategic measures introduced Assistance for special under the Raw Water Security Scheme (SJAM) has prevented river pollution in- needs children cidents that could lead to the closure of water treatment plants (WTPs). SHAH ALAM - Parents of children with spe- Among the measures taken include cial needs (OKU) under the age of 18 are 24-hour surveillance of the rivers as well encouraged to apply for the Bantuan Khas as the use of a nanotechnology-based Anak Istimewa Selangor (Anis) scheme, product called aquaritin to clean the riv- which offers benefits of up to RM5,000 for ers naturally. each family. State executive councillor for infra- Selangor Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amiru- structure said the actions din Shari said registration for the scheme taken have proven to be effective as the opened on Feb 15. nine cases of water pollution that were “Especially for Selangor citizens, each detected in January and February were Selangor Department of Environment workers collect samples from the family can receive four types of aid which in- successfully resolved. side of Sungai Langat on Feb 3 after chemicals were illegally dumped clude food and additional needs, purchase “Four measures were undertaken into its waters or repair of equipment, medicine and spe- through SJAM, which include early treat- cial education. ment (of polluted water) at water treat- that we would be able to resolve the wa- year was detected on Jan 15 when “The state government has allocated ment ponds, monitoring and surveil- ter supply disruption issue,” he told Se- chemical waste was disposed into Sun- RM3.25 million in the 2021 Selangor Budget lance, the construction of infrastructure langorKini on Feb 16. gai Cinchang. for the implementation of the OKU empow- at Sungai Selangor and the enforcement On Sunday, state executive councillor The latest incident was reported on erment programme. Register now at www. of the Selangor Water Management Au- for environment said since Feb 14, involving metal smelting activity anis.yawas.my,” he said on Facebook. thority (Luas) (Amendment) Enactment January, Luas has successfully dealt with near Sungai Semenyih. Applicants can register and check on 2020. nine incidents of pollution that had the Aside from the gazettement of the their status via the website. Assistance will “Now we are in the process of imple- potential to cause water supply disrup- Luas Enactment, the Selangor govern- be channelled after the application is ap- menting all the other measures. Once tion. ment had introduced the SJAM last De- proved. they are fully executed, we are confident The first case of river pollution this cember with a RM200 million budget. Tax waiver to keep theme parks afloat SHAH ALAM - Entertainment duty ex- vided them with a glimmer of hope to norm,” he said. emptions for the entrance fees of continue their operation. We now wish On Feb 2, Selangor Menteri Besar theme parks from March 2020 to De- they will conduct promotions to attract Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari announced cember this year will go a long way in visitors,” he told SelangorKini. the tax exemption in an effort to save helping park owners sustain their busi- Azrul Shah said although the sector is the sector. The move has an estimated ness till after the movement control or- again allowed to operate, theme parks financial impact of RM26.35 million. der (MCO) period. still face problems as they are bound by He said the state administration had Tourism Selangor general manager strict standard operating procedures and also agreed to reduce the entertain- Azrul Shah Mohamad said since the en- will be expecting low visitor turnouts. ment tax rate from 25 per cent to 5 per forcement of the MCO, theme park op- “Therefore Tourism Selangor will in- cent for the entrance fees to all theme erators have been facing a crisis as they tensify all efforts (to help the sector) by parks in the state over a duration of have not been allowed to open their promoting the ‘Pusing Selangor Dulu’ five years starting from Jan 1, 2022, to business. (Explore Selangor First) campaign, is- Dec 31, 2026, with an estimated total “When this initiative was announced, suing vouchers, and introducing ways of RM21.04 million in financial impact a they breathed a sigh of relief as it pro- to enjoy tourism products in the new year over the five-year period. ‘State has set benchmark for good governance’

SHAH ALAM - Selangor has set a good and balances system within the govern- learnt is that we have the right condi- Foundation, was moderated by its ex- example in its administration that ment. tions to get better revenue-sharing al- ecutive chairman Datuk Seri Wilfred should be emulated by other states. “The people can see the role played locations from the Federal,” said Teng. Madius Tangau and joined by panellists Selangor Investment, Industry and by their state assemblymen even He said this during a webinar series Penang Chief Minister , Trade, Small and Medium Industries though the (Federal) government’s sup- on Zoom titled ‘Income Tax Revenue for Institute for Democracy and Economic Committee chairman Dato’ Teng Chang porters are so critical and vocal. States Too: Can Learn from In- Affairs (Ideas) chief executive officer Khim said 10 committees have been “Thus, this is an advantage over oth- donesia?’ on Feb 9. Tricia Yeoh and its Public Finance Unit set up to provide an extensive checks er states and the lesson that can be The webinar, organised by Wisdom manager Sri Murniati. Selangor Journal l MARCH 2021 NEWS 3

Still set on buying SHAH ALAM - Selangor will still continue its efforts MB gets first jab as to acquire its own supply of Covid-19 vaccines de- spite receiving the first batch of the Pfizer-BioNTech doses from the Federal government on Feb 25. Although the state government is grateful to have received the vaccines, Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri inoculations begin Amirudin Shari said his administration will still work towards buying more doses to ensure that as many By ALANG BENDAHARA people in the state as possible are vaccinated. “This is to complement the Federal government’s SHAH ALAM - Selangor Menteri Be- effort by providing enough doses for the people sar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari received of Selangor, especially those who are at high-risk the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech and the workers in sectors that are the heart of the vaccine on Feb 25, kick-starting the state’s economy. National Covid-19 Immunisation Pro- “May Allah bless our noble cause and may Selan- gramme at the state level. gor be free from the Covid-19 pandemic and other During the event, Amirudin was deadly diseases,” said Amirudin in a statement on with 42 others — including state ex- Feb 25. ecutive councillors and members of Earlier, Amirudin and 41 others had received the Selangor Security Special Com- their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 mittee — to receive the vaccine ad- vaccine at the Shah Alam Hospital, here, and are ministered by 12 vaccinators. scheduled to be vaccinated with the second dose In a statement on Feb 25, Amiru- on March 18. din said a total of 66,690 frontline On Feb 22, Amirudin announced that the Selan- workers will receive the Covid-19 vac- gor government is expected to receive between cine in the first phase of the vaccina- two and five million doses of Covid-19 vaccine by tion programme in Selangor. Malaysia Jabatan Penerangan May or June. “Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God) The much-awaited Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines arrive at the Kuala He said the vaccine is crucial in speeding up the the launching of the state-level Na- Lumpur International Airport on Feb 21 process of the National Covid-19 Immunisation tional Covid-19 Immunisation Pro- Programme. gramme went well. handover ceremony of the Covid-19 welcoming speech said 33 per cent Selangor has received 78,000 doses of the “Thank you to the Health Ministry, vaccines to Selangor, was broadcast of Malaysia’s Covid-19 cases were de- Covid-19 vaccine in the first phase of the immuni- the Selangor State Health Depart- live by Media Selangor on its social tected in Selangor. sation programme where a total of 66,690 frontline ment and health workers, especial- media platform and website. “With the vaccine that arrived in the workers will be getting their shots. ly the staff at the Petaling District Speaking to reporters after, Amiru- country on Feb 21 and the handover The first batch of Covid-19 vaccines arrived in Health Office,” the statement read. din said that the first batch of recipi- of the vaccine to the people of Selan- Malaysian on Feb 21. A total of 312,390 doses of Amirudin was vaccinated at the ents of the vaccine is scheduled to be gor, it will help to control the spread of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were flown in from a Shah Alam Hospital Auditorium, inoculated with the second dose on Covid-19 in the state. Belgian factory. here, at 1.40pm. March 18. “The state government welcomes Also receiving their first dose of Amirudin, who did not experience the Vaccine Handover Plan for Selan- the vaccine were Deputy Minister of any side-effects from the jab, also gor and will continue to work with the Health I Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghaza- urged the public to get themselves Selangor State Health Department to li; State Public Health, Unity, Women vaccinated and to not worry. ensure that the people remain safe Empowerment and Family Commit- “Alhamdulillah (God willing), so far from the virus,” she said. tee chairman Dr ; I do not feel anything (out of the or- The national Covid-19 vaccination State Secretary Datuk Nor Azmie dinary). A total of 42 people received programme kicked-off Feb 24 when Diron; State Legal Adviser Dato’ Salim the first dose of the vaccine today Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Soib @ Hamid; and Selangor State (Feb 25) and we have passed the Yassin received the first dose of the Health Department director Datuk Dr monitoring period (after receiving vaccine at the Putrajaya Health Office Sha’ari Ngadiman. the shots). in Presint 11, Putrajaya. The state executive councillors “I believe this (vaccine) is well test- Health director-general Tan Sri Dr were next to receive their shots. ed and hope this will be enough proof Noor Hisham Abdullah was next to be The programme, which was for the people,” he added. vaccinated at the event that was tele- launched by Dr Noor Azmi during the Meanwhile, Dr Siti Mariah in her vised live nationwide. Time to rebuild our health system SHAH ALAM - The Selangor government for the year 2021,” said Amirudin during pandemic, casualties resulting from dry Johan, who is also a member of the will be focusing on strengthening the a virtual forum titled ‘Post-pandemic cough and dengue were already high Board of Directors for Media Selangor, public health and social support sys- economy: Where is the direction?’ on enough. moderated the live forum which also tems of the state this year, says Menteri Feb 22. “So these are among the basics that featured prominent economist Dr Jomo Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari. Amirudin said that there is currently a I feel we must go back to for review so Kwame Sundaram and former chair- This is to prepare for any eventuality lack of experts in the public health depart- that public health and our systems are man of Khazanah Research Institute Dr should another outbreak happen some- ments of local authorities in Selangor. able to support an outbreak,” he said. Nungsari Ahmad Radhi. time in the future. “I regret the fact that out of all the lo- Amirudin was responding to National The state administration, through the “Public health is an area that can be cal authorities in the state I am leading, Journalism Laureate Tan Sri Johan Jaaf- Belanjawan Selangor 2021 (2021 Selan- strengthened and organised so that we have only about four to five public far’s question on the state government’s gor Budget), had increased the alloca- when a pandemic occurs, our system health departments that are led by qual- post-pandemic economic plans during tion for public health spending by 23 per can support and withstand the impacts ified officers with backgrounds in pub- the programme broadcast on Facebook cent to RM56.5 million compared to last that come from it. This will be our focus lic health education. Even before the on Feb 23. year’s RM46 million. 4 NEWS Selangor Journal l MARCH 2021

A better SELangkah to empower users

SELANGOR’S contact-tracing having to scan a QR code from the state government mobile application, SELangkah l A scan history — Provides re- l SELangkah Biz — Allows cash- (Step In, Safely), has been further cords of check-in dates and less commercial transactions enhanced to provide its users time, and the locations visited via existing e-wallets in the ‘Workplace programme with the latest information on l A bulletin board — Provides market Covid-19 and ways to navigate up-to-date Covid-19 news l SELangkah Wallet — SELang- their lives under new norms. and reports from the state kah’s own e-Wallet function can half infection rate’ government l SELangkah Pay — Enables The updated version now l A Covid-19 users to settle bills, permits, SHAH ALAM - The Covid-19 in- state administration has yet to has these features: community screen- taxes and summonses to the fectivity rate within the manu- make it compulsory for all em- l Dual-system ing portal — Pro- state government and local facturing sector is expected to ployers to register with the pro- scanning vides pre-registra- authorities go down by 50 per cent if em- gramme, it is ready to review capabil- tion function for ployers initiate the Preventing the suitability of this measure. ity — To community screen- The following are some exist- and Detecting Outbreaks at Ig- “It involves several require- enable the ing, self-monitoring ing features that remain in the nition Sites (POIS) programme. ments such as licencing and scanning of of health status and di- enhanced version: Selangor Menteri Besar operational permissions. So for both the SE- rect access to the user’s l Maps of premises affected Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said the time being, it is based on Langkah and Covid-19 test results by Covid-19 the system set up by the Se- volunteering although we may MySejahtera l Checks on exposure risk langor Task Force for Covid-19 align or merge it with existing QR codes Launched on Feb 9 l Visitors’ trend to a location (STFC) is able to identify posi- measures.” when entering by Menteri Besar Dato’ l Visitor log tive cases while ensuring that On Jan 6, STFC launched the business prem- Seri Amirudin Shari, the SE- work at factories is not halted. POIS programme in an effort ises Langkah application will also SELangkah currently has 7.2 “Currently, 70 to 80 per cent to curb and reduce workplace l GPS (Global Po- include some integrated fea- million unique users and over of transmissions in Selangor clusters. sitioning System) tures such as: 200,000 registered premises us- are from industrial areas. If Registered employers are check-in option — This offers l RSVP — ‘Register & Sign Up ing its system. factories can follow this pro- required to set up a committee an alternative and convenient for Your Vaccine Pack’ to re- For more information log on gramme, I am sure workplace consisting of small groups of way of checking in without ceive the Covid-19 vaccine to: Selangkah.my infections can be reduced. members with different func- “POIS has been developed tions to identify high-risk areas to manage Covid-19 infections and activities. systematically. It is not about The committee must draft us coming to shut down your an emergency action plan, re- STFC gets nod of appreciation operations when an outbreak duce external contacts and en- occurs,” he said. sure compliance with the stan- By KHAIRUL AZRAN HUSSIN “Datuk Seri Dr Dzulke- Selangor’s almost year- Amirudin was met by report- dard operating procedures. fly Ahmad (STFC chair- long management of ers after launching the POIS Other than that, the SELang- SHAH ALAM - The state govern- man) had from the the virus. programme at the Nestle facto- kah (Step In, Safely) mobile ap- ment has been greatly facilitated beginning placed Its 64 pag- ry in Section 15 here on Feb 22. plication will be used to record by the efficiency of the Selangor the community as es highlight im- Also present were state ex- workers’ movements within Task Force on Covid-19 (STFC) in the base on which portant events, ecutive councillor for public the workplace for contact trac- its fight against the virus. to formulate mea- key personalities health Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud ing and to make calculations Selangor Menteri Besar Dato’ sures or proce- and examples of and Nestle (Malaysia) Bhd chief on the risk of healthy workers Seri Amirudin Shari said the dures,” he said in successful pro- executive officer Juan Aranols. contracting the virus from their agency has already mapped out an interview for the grammes that were Amirudin said although the teammates. long-term measures that include special edition of Kita Se- implemented. contact tracing and large-scale langor: Gempur Covid-19 mag- Copies will be made avail- screenings, and has consistently azine. able at the service centres of ADVISOR: Editorial Advisory Board state assemblymen, health cen- GROUP EDITOR: Fathi Aris Omar emphasised the need for compli- The magazine, published by EDITOR: Ida Nadirah Ibrahim ance with the standard operat- the Menteri Besar’s Office, re- tres and government depart- ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR: Alang Bendahara ing procedure. counts the trials and triumphs of ments. SUB EDITOR: Nur Anis Audrey Ong SENIOR JOURNALIST: Sherilyn Pang

MARKETING & ADVERTISING: Free community screenings from Feb 17 Nadhrah Azlan [email protected] SHAH ALAM - The Selangor gov- starts on Feb 17. following series and (the people) Syahir Khadri [email protected] ernment will be holding a series Each session will be from 9am will be informed from time to of Covid-19 community screen- to 4pm and will be carried out for time,” the statement read, add- PHOTOGRAPHER: Asri Sapfie, Raheemie Arifin, ings in several places in the state free. ing that the initiative is part of Hafiz Othman & Fikri Yusof starting with densely populated “The public are urged to reg- the state’s move to complement areas like Shah Alam and Klang. ister online at screening.selang- the Federal government’s efforts GRAPHIC & LAYOUT: Graphics Department MSSB In a statement on Feb 16, the kah.my to ensure the smooth op- in battling Covid-19. EDITORIAL BOARD EDITORIAL Level 11, Menara Bank Rakyat, No. 1, Jalan Indah 14/8, press secretary to the Selangor erations of the initiative. Residents at where the screen- Seksyen 14, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Menteri Besar said the first se- “Screening operations in oth- ings are held are encouraged to Tel : 03-5523 4856 Fax : 03-5523 5856 Email: [email protected] ries of the screening operation er localities will be held in the go and get tested. Selangor Journal l MARCH 2021 NEWS 5

Tengku Permaisuri gives to the less fortunate

SHAH ALAM - Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin has donated daily necessities to the asnaf (eligible zakat recipients) in Selangor. The Selangor Royal Office in a statement in- formed that Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin also pre- sented contributions to the less fortunate in several areas in the state. “The contribution was handed over to the sec- retary of the Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) Ang- kasapuri Sports and Recreational Club, Salawati Abd Rashid. “The donation will be distributed through the club’s welfare assistance programme,” said the statement posted on the Selangor Royal Office Face- book page on Feb 17. A brief ceremony to present the contribution was held at the Istana Bukit Kayangan in Shah Alam. Budget review on the cards

By KHAIRUL AZRAN HUSSIN “All states actually need to look “We also created Selangor back at their budget when facing Cluster (Gugusan Selangor) in SHAH ALAM - The state govern- the challenges of Covid-19. Local each district to ensure that the ment is ready to review its 2021 industries also need to be devel- state continues to move forward budget allocation to balance it oped to show their capabilities,” and stay balanced on all matters.” with the current needs brought he said. Selangor created nine eco- about by Covid-19. Speaking at an online forum nomic clusters to match the ca- Selangor Menteri Besar Dato’ titled ‘Post-pandemic economy: pabilities of each of its districts. Seri Amirudin Shari said the Where is the direction?’ held vir- They cover high technology, the move will take into account the tually on Feb 23, Amirudin said aerospace and automotive in- expected impact from the move- the state government is focused dustries, maritime, services, ec- ment control order since March on empowering the local indus- otourism, aquaculture, urban last year, which will be seen in tries to withstand the effects of economic agriculture and edu- the first quarter of this year. the pandemic. cation. Cap test kit price, Federal told Food baskets for five groups SHAH ALAM - The Federal gov- Also featured in the one-hour ernment is urged to set a price virtual talk titled ‘Covid-19 Dis- SHAH ALAM - The Selangor housing project is under the either dry food or cooked food ceiling on Covid-19 test kits in cussion: Preparation by States’ government will be distribut- purview of the Housing and Lo- and will be distributed by sev- tandem with the implemen- were Negeri Sembilan Menteri ing food baskets to five groups cal Government Ministry. eral state departments, agen- tation of the Emergency Ordi- Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin affected by the Covid-19 pan- “The distribution of the basic cies and subsidiaries such as nance announced on Jan 12. Harun and Penang Chief Minis- demic in stages starting Feb- necessities may not be much, the Menteri Besar Selangor In- Selangor Menteri Besar Dato’ ter Chow Kon Yeow. ruary, says Dato’ Seri Amirudin but we hope that it would ease corporated (MBI), the Selangor Seri Amirudin Shari said the Amirudin also suggested for Shari. the burden of those affect- Housing and Property Board proposal can be executed with the Federal government to col- The Selangor Menteri Besar ed by the movement control (LPHS), and Kumpulan Darul the scope of power the govern- laborate with private hospitals said the initiative will benefit order (MCO),” said Amirudin Ehsan Berhad Waste Man- ment now has so that the test to take in Covid-19 patients in 6,233 taxi drivers (including during a press conference at agement, with the help of the kit can be made affordable for need of critical care. local taxis, airport taxis and the Menteri Besar’s residence state representatives’ commu- public use. “This is to reduce the burden limousines, and rental vehi- on Feb 18. nity service centres. “I have already voiced this at government hospitals and cles), 1,601 bus drivers, 8,432 On the same day Amiru- The entire effort will be co- to the National Security Coun- the collaboration would enable Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad din received RM4.35 million in ordinated by the Urban Wel- cil (NSC) and maybe (it) can be both sides to share existing fa- Waste Management truck driv- contributions for the Selangor fare and Housing Committee. subsidised. cilities. ers, 6,000 Orang Asal head of Food Basket Aid Fund during a On Jan 20, the state govern- “Only when this is done that “The government has to act households and 2,361 tenants handover ceremony in collab- ment announced a total allo- the Emergency declared by the quickly and definitely we, from of the People’s Housing Project oration with Bingkisan Mesra cation of RM1.3 million to exe- (Federal) government is justi- the state governments, will be (PPR). Sdn Bhd (BMSB), Perumahan cute the food basket initiative. fied,” said Amirudin during a ready to give our assistance He said the state govern- & Hartanah Selangor Sdn Bhd The initiative is part of the live discourse hosted by Oppo- because fighting Covid-19 re- ment will also disburse RM50 to (PHSSB) and the Yayasan Food Kita Selangor Package that has sition leader Datuk Seri Anwar quires everyone’s efforts,” he 3,004 residents in the Lembah Bank Malaysia (YBFM). a total allocation of RM73.877 Ibrahim on Facebook on Feb 4. said. Subang 1 PPR even though the The food baskets consist of million. 6 ECONOMY Selangor Journal l MARCH 2021

A demand for skills

By SHERILYN PANG be investing in, whether it is at the Federal or state-level administration.” SHAH ALAM - There is a huge demand Amirudin said the Selangor govern- for advanced skills in the country and that ment has invested to set up a framework fact must not be dismissed, says Selangor for this particular purpose. Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari. Drawing reference from policies over- He also said the aerospace industry is seas that ensure a clear framework for a potentially rewarding sector to invest in. talent management in their high-skilled Amirudin was highlighting the need sectors, Amirudin said programmes are in to invest in a high-skilled workforce and place to emulate such efforts. move low-skilled workers up the high-skill “During our visit to Germany to learn value chain during a virtual forum to dis- about their technical and vocational cuss Selangor’s post-pandemic econom- training programmes, I realised that (we) ic plans titled ‘Post-pandemic economy: have been working in silos all this while. Where is the direction?’ on Feb 23. In their country, they have a very clear “The demand for high-skilled labour is framework of where their labour force huge. Let’s take the aerospace industry as would be channelled. Whereas in (our an example. The demand for this sector country), the ministry involved in this is very high but what the (labour) market technical and vocational training already has been offering to companies has not has exceeded seven to eight ministers …” been able to fulfil their needs as we have he said. all along been producing only low-end “Education for this high-skilled ex- ernment’s investment of about RM50 to “This can be turned into one of our technical abilities in the market and this is pertise can be at the Federal level. Even RM60 million in this area, God willing, it (state) modules or assets in the coming a real situation that has been happening. though the ecosystem is yet to be ful- can be materialised. Had it not been for budget or an additional budget that we “This is an area that we should indeed ly established, with the Selangor gov- the Covid-19 pandemic ….” may announce in time,” he added. Give financial power back to Selangor: Exco

SHAH ALAM - The Federal government Road Record Information System) and its Public Finance Unit manager Sri manage it effectively.” has to implement fiscal decentralisation and RM1.64 billion is allocated Murniati. Teng added that even for cases of pol- to ensure that the revenue gained from for development in the state. Teng said Selangor’s popula- lution that occurred in the state, the De- all the states is distributed back fairly. So all of this amounts to tion stands at around 6.2 mil- partment of Environment (DOE), which is Selangor Investment, Industry and around RM2.4 billion which lion compared to Malaysia’s under the Federal government, does not Trade, Small and Medium Industries Com- was the total cost of the Se- total population of 32 million, have the funding to do the cleanup and mittee chairman Dato’ langor Budget in 2020. which means that 20 per cent in the end, the Selangor government had said compared to Indonesia, Malaysia “This amount (RM2.4 bil- of the country’s population are to do it. should have fared better but yet, in real- lion) is just 4 per cent out of residing in the state. “So it makes sense for Selangor to get ity, the country is far behind in terms of what Selangor had contributed “Yet in terms of income tax and a higher percentage of revenue from the allocating its revenue fairly to each of its to the country. So is this fair?” said corporate tax, 100 per cent of it goes high contribution the state has given to states. Teng during a webinar series on Zoom to the Federal government. Each year, Se- the country, this is fairer as the state has “Selangor contributed 24.2 per cent to on Feb 9 titled ‘Income Tax Revenue for langor contributes RM1.1 billion of stamp more capability to administer and man- the national GDP (Gross Domestic Prod- States Too: Can Malaysia Learn from In- duties with a 2 per cent tax from the to- age,” he said. uct) due to our high productivity … in donesia?’. tal cost of land transaction to the Federal In his conclusion, Teng urged the pow- 2020, Malaysia’s revenue was RM227.3 The webinar organised by Wisdom government. ers-that-be in the Federal government to billion, so around RM55 billion of it came Foundation was moderated by its execu- “Imagine the land is in Selangor, yet change their mindset and embark on a from Selangor. tive chairman Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius the state only gets a few hundred ringgit paradigm shift from thinking that only they “Yet under the Federal Constitution, Tangau and joined by panellists Penang and the rest goes to the Federal, so again have the capacity to administer because the Selangor government is allocated only Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, Institute we cannot see the fairness in this.” the state government still lacks the skills. RM75 million ... another RM746 million is for Democracy and Economic Affairs Teng said that during the pandemic “This Federal mindset is still rooted in given through the MARRIS (Malaysian (Ideas) chief executive officer Tricia Yeoh many of the state’s workforce, enforce- the 1950s during the time when Malaysia ment and assets were used, so the state’s has just gained its independence when revenue should have been allocated back there are not many highly educated peo- to Selangor so that they can manage the ple with the skills to administer. So during pandemic more efficiently. that time, the Constitution in all states “Also, in Selangor, we have set aside a was drafted so that the administration lot of lands to build schools. However, the such as the State Secretary, State Finan- Federal government could not develop cial Officer and State Legal Officer need to them and gave excuses that they do not come from the Federal. have adequate allocation for it. “But nowadays we have so many highly “So if the Federal government with all educated and highly skilled people in the the contribution given by Selangor can- state administration. So this needs to be not provide this, let the state administra- changed, so it is fair for powers including tion handle education and health, return financial power to be given back to the the authority including the financial pow- state who really does all the work in serv- er back to the state so that we can better ing the people,” he added. Selangor Journal l MARCH 2021 FOCUS 7 NO QUICK FIXES FOR COVID-19

BY AFIX REDZUAN

s a densely populated state, Selangor often tops the list of dailyA Covid-19 cases in the country. However, the state government has actively formulated and implemented several plans to curb the outbreak. In a brief interview with SelangorKi- ni, state executive councillor for public health Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud talks about solutions, for now, and the near future.

at Ignition Sites (POIS) programme. We would like to engage with factories. We want to ensure When they willingly follow the POIS that all industries The short-term plan of the state gov- programme, the spread of the disease As clarified by Health director-ge- ernment is to identify Covid-19 hotspots at worksites will be greatly halted. Im- neral Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdul- in the state as well using artificial intelligence and risk portantly, POIS also focuses on eco- lah, the spike in cases that were de- mapping. This allows the state adminis- nomic recovery. tected in late January and early Febru- as the more tration to execute targeted community Focus will also be given to the state’s ary were due to the weakness in case screenings and effectively segregate immunisation programme. It goes in reporting and the verification system vulnerable and those who are positive for the virus, tandem with the National Covid-19 of the Health Ministry. thus placing the outbreak under control. Immunisation Programme. We want to Further studies on the trend found low-income groups For the long term the Selangor ensure that all industries in the state as that 75 per cent of the cases involved government is focusing on empow- well as the more vulnerable and low-in- workplaces and industrial areas. have access to ering public health activities via the come (B40) groups have access to the The public has to also understand the shots Preventing and Detecting Outbreaks shots. that the high number of cases re- ported is due to the active screening operations held in the state. The good tions and strategies. The Peduli Sihat thing about this is, with such tests, programme was created with that in we can then effectively separate the mind. It reaches out to the B40 group, positive cases from the community. If to single mothers and also those who a low number of infections is report- have lost their sources of income. ed, this would give a false sense of Also, under Menteri Besar Selan- security. gor Incorporated (MBI), a total of RM1 As for trends of transmission within million was allocated to set up childcare the community, the figures are spo- centres for our frontline workers when radic. This reflects a weakness in the they are on duty. Additional nurseries system to detect close contacts of pos- too, will be set up according to current itive individuals. needs. The people in Selangor are urged to All in all, via the government’s use the SELangkah application to help Selangor Prihatin (Selangor Cares) the government effectively identify economic stimulus package as well as close contacts. the recently announced Kita Selan- gor package, the administration has allocated a total RM73.87 million for health programmes for all groups of Ever mindful of the need for social distancing, Dr Siti Mariah loads boxes of It is often on our minds to not people residing and working in the sanitisation kits into the car of a childcare centre representative during a drive- accidentally exclude any groups of state. We try our best to leave no one through initiative at the Sultan Idris Shah building in Shah Alam on Feb 23 people when we come up with solu- behind. 8 FOCUS Selangor Journal l MARCH 2021 FOCUS 9

FOR a year now, Selangor has been hit relentlessly by Covid-19, and harder than any other state in the country. With a population of 6.7 million, this comes as no surprise. Yet, the state has grown in its resilience and determination to overcome the challenges it faces. Its blueprint to combat the virus has been praised as organised and thorough. Aid was disbursed to the people swiftly and in many forms. In this feature, journalist NAZLI IBRAHIM lists the efforts of the state government in providing the best for the people, amid these hard times.

THE SELANGOR TASK FORCE FOR COMMUNITY SCREENINGS subsequent management who have contracted the virus  The initiative ran from April to June last year COVID-19  All frontline workers will also receive free meals while  Started on April 1, 2020 after the state provided an  Those showing minor symptoms will be selected for on duty  Each recipient to get RM1,000 after showing proof SMART BUSSES PUT TO GOOD USE  Created on March 10, 2020 allocation of RM1.35 million home quarantine and monitored daily by health teams of illness THE FRONTLINER CHILDCARE  The state has set aside five Smart busses to

 Tasked to monitor Covid-19 and provide the people  An additional RM6 million in funds was channeled THE PREVENTION OF OUTBREAKS AT INITIATIVE FREE FACE MASKS FOR SCHOOLS ferry Covid-19 patients from their homes to the with knowledge of the virus via the Kita Selangor package for this purpose IGNITION SITES (POIS) PROGRAMME quarantine centre at the Malaysia Agro Exposition

 Some 12 childcare centres have been set up for the  A million units of face masks have been distributed Park Serdang (MAEPS), cutting down waiting time   Focused on testing the residents of old folks homes, to teachers and school children in the state from Helmed by former Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr  A voluntary programme to routinely screen factory children of frontline workers at selected locations for transport haemodialysis patients, people in the lower income August 2020 and a team of experts and officers workers to prevent new clusters with a RM700,000 grant from Menteri Besar Selangor from the state health department (B40) group and tertiary students Incorporated (MBI)  The initiative started on Jan 23  Receives backing from the state health office (JKNS), THE COVID-19 OPS ROOM  10,000 free tests carried out as of January Selgate Corporation Sdn Bhd and the Federation of  This will ease their childcare problems when they  From Feb 9, patients from the CAC in Stadium  SELangkah (STEP IN, SAFELY) Malaysian Manufacturers report for duty Located at the Selangor State Secretariat Building Malawati have also been transported by the busses  50,000 tests targeted for 2021 in Shah Alam, the RM6 million operations centre to hospitals  The first-of-its-kind mobile phone application,  Workplaces found to have kept their positive cases  The initiative is supported by the Persatuan Cakna functions on high-speed internet and is capable of  introduced on May 4, 2020, for contact tracing Effective in identifying asymptomatic cases hidden will receive disciplinary action Anak Malaysia and will be available for two months managing Big Data  Some 4,300 have benefitted from this service at a starting January 2021 cost of RM250,000   It has since become an integrated tool for providing SCREENING OF SABAH RETURNEES  Participating factories will elect their own committee Monitors the spread of the virus in Real Time, 24 information on high-risk areas, test results and the members to identify Covid-19 risks  To date, 500 frontline workers have used the service hours a day SELangkah’s HOME user’s vaccination plan  Provided free screening from Oct 4 to 11 last year  QUARANTINE KIT for individuals returning from Sabah after the state  Factories will draft their own contingency plan and FREE MEALS FOR FRONTLINERS Provides assistance and operational support to elections enforce adherence to SOP Federal agencies VACCINATION  Announced during the unveiling of the Kita

 MBI has allocated RM3 million to hand out hot meals Selangor Package, the home quarantine kit allows  Involved 16 Selcare clinics across the state  Workers encouraged to isolate from the general public MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTION  The state plans to buy some two to five million to frontline workers on duty patients with minor symptoms to self-isolate at doses of the vaccine without the help of  RM1 million was allocated by the state government home while checking in with a healthcare team COVID-19 ASSESSMENT CENTRES  SELangkah is used to monitor workers’ movements  middlemen The meals are for lunches and dinners to provide psychiatric treatment, therapy and every day (CAC) counselling to people who were struggling with   The types of vaccine chosen will depend on their INCENTIVES FOR FRONTLINERS Recipients include hospital staff and members of depression or other mental illnesses during the  Calls can be made directly to the healthcare team 24

cost and efficacy  Three stadiums, four community halls and the police force and army long periods of stay-at-home order hours a day 12 community clinics in the state have been  Some 6,000 frontline workers received a one-off  They will be provided to the citizens of Selangor and transformed into Covid-19 assessment centres RM200 payment as a show of appreciation from the SPECIAL CASH AID FOR PATIENTS  Live counselling sessions by healthcare  The kit is provided by Selgate Corporation Sdn Bhd, all foreign workers in the state at no charge government for their efforts professionals were also conducted via social media a company under the Selangor State Development  Patients are categorised by severity to determine  A total of RM1.2 million allocated for the initiative  A RM1.8 million effort to help people in Selangor platforms like Facebook Corporation 10 FOCUS Selangor Journal l MARCH 2021 Giving women a space to thrive

Attendees of the International Women’s Day 2020 celebrations smile and hold up flowers at the Shah Alam Convention Centre on March 8 last year

By SHERILYN PANG the state this year. For a start, she said entities spearhead- NTERNATIONAL Women’s Day ing women’s development will be intro- (IWD) falls on March 8 every duced under the Selangor Women Devel- year. It is a day to mark the opment Committee during the state-level global call to action to accel- Women’s Day celebration on March 8. I erate women’s equality and to “We will officiate entities to oversee champion their social, economic, women’s development under the Selangor cultural and political achievements. Women Development Committee during The United Nations’ Entity for Gender the pre-launch of the Ekspo Hasil Suri Se- Equality and the Empowerment of Wom- langor (HaSSel) Hybrid 2021,” said Dr Siti en (UN Women) announced the IWD 2021 Mariah in a recent email interview with Se- theme as ‘Women in Leadership: Achiev- langor Journal. ing an Equal Future in a Covid-19 World’. HaSSel is an expo that showcases prod- Without a doubt, the pandemic has deep- ucts made by housewives in Selangor. ened pre-existing inequalities as women The state’s approach to women’s wel- face greater risks of infection and death, a fare is heavily guided by the Selangor loss of livelihood, and increased violence. Women’s Policy and Action Plan 2017- In Malaysia, the national gender equal- 2020. The policy outlines specific steps and ity level has deteriorated to 70.9 per cent action to create a more inclusive society as shown in the latest statistics released for women. by the Department of Statistics Malaysia Its goals include promoting gender sen- (DOSM) in December 2020, with political sitivity, uplifting women’s socio-economic empowerment having the lowest score. status, accelerating women’s representa- In addressing the concern, state exec- tion and decision-making in public and po- utive councillor for women empowerment litical life, improving women’s health and and family Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud said ensuring that women can be free from vio- the Selangor government has allocated lence and fear, as well as have their talents RM71.3 million to oversee and spend on appreciated by society, among others. the welfare and development of women in “We are the first state in Malaysia to Selangor Journal l MARCH 2021 FOCUS 11

implement a gender mainstreaming (GM) initiative in line with the Selangor Women’s Policy. We are promoting a gen- der-sensitive development framework,” she said. The GM initiative works to assess impli- cations for women and men at all stages and levels of policies, programmes and project implementations. Dr Siti Mariah said GM is currently ex- ecuted within the portfolios of the State Housing and Urban Wellbeing, and Entre- preneur Development; the Public Health, Unity, Women Empowerment and Family; and the Youth, Sports Development and Human Resource Development. “Hence, ‘Capacity Building and Gender Audit’ will be carried out accordingly and a ‘Gender Action Plan’ (GAP) will be the out- come for each respective agency to insti- tutionalise as part of the state’s adminis- trative system. “GM ensures that the implementation of projects, programmes and activities will be based on the gender lense so as to en- sure inclusivity for all communities in Se- langor,” she explained. Dr Siti Mariah said the state is also translating its commitment to empower- ing women via various initiatives such as the Kasih Ibu Smart Selangor (KISS) ini- tiative, the establishment of the Selangor Women’s Empowerment Institute (IWB) tives to build their leadership skills. ently, there are 20 per cent of females in ing a suitable environment for the prog- and Women’s Empowerment Centres “So far, 200 participants have enrolled in the state executive councils, 23 per cent ress of women by reducing poverty and (PWB) that were set up in all 56 state con- the academy,” said Dr Siti Mariah. are people’s representatives in the Selan- increasing access to housing. stituencies. gor State Legislative Assembly and 27 per “My team and the Selangor Property “On top of that, we have a target to Creating opportunities cent are local councillors. and Housing Board (LPHS) are also pre- push for 30 per cent of women at deci- “In the entrepreneurship sector, Se- paring a new policy for affordable hous- sion-making levels within the administra- State Housing and Urban Wellbeing, langor nears the nation’s 55 per cent fe- ing in Selangor. That policy is an improve- tion in five to 10 years’ time. One of the and Entrepreneur Development executive male workforce participation while wom- ment from the current Selangorku House actively running programmes is called the councillor said while the de en-owned businesses constitute 20 per Policy 2.0 (RSKU 2.0) where I am analysing Women Leadership Academy (AKW) and jure and the de facto situation still shows a cent of the total small and medium-sized all aspects related to women’s needs. It is it has been running since 2019 to achieve gap that needs to be narrowed down, the enterprises (SMEs) in Selangor, which tan- slated to be launched in the second quar- this purpose,” she said. state government is focused on improving tamounts to 20,000 female entrepreneurs ter of this year. The academy, she said, runs mentoring women’s quality of life. out of the estimated total of 100,000 en- “Meanwhile, a suitable environment for sessions where participants work with se- “We are definitely working on higher trepreneurs or companies in Selangor,” female entrepreneurs means providing lected female MPs and state representa- female participation in all sectors. Pres- she told Selangor Journal. an adequate ecosystem for them to suc- As Selangor gears towards its smart ceed and thrive. For the past three years, state ambition by 2025, key denominators we focused our efforts on the food and towards achieving gender equality in all beverage (F&B) segment because a ma- aspects will be the efficiency and effective- jority of them run F&B micro-businesses. ness of state policies. “I have also begun looking into (female Rodziah, who is passionate about participation in) the arts and handicraft the exemplary establishment of a wom- spaces and am collaborating with other en-friendly city by the City departments, agencies, non-governmen- Council (MPSJ), said apart from building tal organisations as well as the Federal the strength and independence of wom- government to close any gaps or loop- en through economic-centric policies and holes to provide a better future for our programmes such as Niaga Darul Ehsan women especially in entrepreneurship,” (NaDI) that enables female breadwinners Rodziah said. to set up small businesses and the KISS She added that despite the financial initiative for low-income families of mar- constraints for entrepreneur develop- ried women or single mothers, the state ment, the state administration’s ambi- also establishes the Institut Wanita Ber- tions for the women of Selangor will not daya (IWB), a think-tank, that drafts new be deterred. and monitors existing policies to champi- “It is my aim to achieve that 30 per on women’s rights and gender causes. cent quota for women leadership in all “The IWB runs internal courses for levels of the state’s public and private state civil servants to understand gender sectors and for any form of harassment issues and outcomes, justice and equali- or violence towards women to be elimi- ty,” she explains, adding that she is build- nated,” she added. 12 LOCAL Selangor Journal l MARCH 2021

Fishing village gets a makeover

By SHEEDA FATHIL with various types of decorations and to not throw rubbish into the PORT KLANG - The beautifica- sea like before,” he said after a tion works at Kampung Bagan visit to the village on Feb 17. Hailam through the Breath New Ng said the construction of Life project has the potential to a recycling centre and a mini-li- turn the water village into a new brary in the area is very interest- tourist destination. ing and hopes that other new vil- State executive councillor for lages will do the same. new village development Ng Sze “The locals also repainted un- Han said the villagers’ initiative used 18-litre paint buckets and to create a clean and harmoni- turned them into rubbish bins ous environment through the that are supplied to the houses two-year project should be com- in the area. I hope this idea will mended. be followed by others too.” “Kampung Bagan Hailam is In 2019, Kampung Bagan Hai- very strategic and has the poten- lam, with a population of 500 tial to develop as a popular desti- residents, became the pioneer nation for seafood lovers. water village to be refurbished Ng Sze Han (centre ) with local villagers after visiting and launching the new look of Kampung “I commend the villagers’ under the Breathe New Life pro- Bagan Hailam, Port Klang, on Feb 17 commitment to adorn the area gramme in Selangor.

Subang Jaya SPM takers get online help

SHAH ALAM - Subang Jaya can- perienced educators. lessons in their own time,” she didates of the Sijil Pelajaran “This is a move to help the told SelangorKini on Feb 14. Malaysia (SPM) 2020 are being SPM 2020 candidates since the Ng said the programme is sponsored to enrol in online teaching and learning process held in collaboration with the classes as part of their prepara- in schools this year has been on-demand video tutoring ap- tion for the examinations that affected by the Covid-19 pan- plication AskBee. started on Feb 22. demic. The Education Ministry had Subang Jaya state represen- “We know that the outbreak earlier postponed the 2020 tative Michelle Ng Mei Sze said has left an impact. Therefore SPM examination to Feb 22 this a total of 150 students will at- those who were sponsored year. It will run till the end of tend 20 online sessions with ex- stand a chance to revise their March.

Reps urged to do more screening

SHAH ALAM - All Selangor state the initiative will encourage She also urged the Federal Jamaliah speaks to the media after the replanting of representatives are urged to people living in high-risk areas government to share the latest Tembusu trees in SS20/10 on Feb 10 organise subsidised Covid-19 and those who cannot afford to data from time to time, to facil- screening operations in their pay for tests themselves to un- itate the representatives’ work respective constituencies to dergo screening. and to ensure the effectiveness Bandar Utama goes green curb the spread of the infection “This matter was discussed of the screening programme. within the community. during a meeting between On Feb 6, three Pakatan PETALING JAYA - A total of implemented. Selangor Backbenchers Club state assemblymen and state Harapan (PH) parliament and RM109,000 has been allocated “Among the projects that chairman Elizabeth Wong said executive councillor for public state representatives — includ- to Bandar Utama constituents have been carried out include health Dr Siti Ma- ing Wong, Sungai Buloh MP Siv- for environmental sustainabili- the creation of community riah Mahmud last arasa Rasiah and Petaling Jaya ty programmes. gardens, recycling, compost- week. MP — had Its state assemblyman Jama- ing and the use of solar ener- “We know the offered Covid-19 screenings liah Jamaluddin said the con- gy,” she told SelangorKini after cost of the Covid-19 priced at RM50 each. tribution was distributed to 23 inspecting the replanting of test is quite high, so Other state representatives resident bodies consisting of Tembusu trees at Jalan SS20/10 an offer as low as who have held similar initia- Rukun Tetangga Areas (KRT), here. RM50 is hoped to tives are Kota Anggerik assem- Residents Associations (RA) The event was also attended encourage people blyman Mohd Najwan Halimi, and Joint Management Bodies by Petaling Jaya City Councillor to do the screen- Kampung Tunku assemblyman (JMB). Loyis Uding. ing,” said Wong, Lim Yi Wei, Subang Jaya as- “The initiative through the To date, a total of 40 new who is also Bukit semblyman Michelle Ng, Bukit Bandar Utama Green Grant trees have been planted in the Lanjan assembly- Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Programme started in January Bandar Utama constituency man, to SelangorKi- Rishyakaran and Rawang as- and will be closely monitored to to replace damaged trees that ni on Feb 8. semblyman Chua Wei Kiat. ensure that the project is truly may pose a risk to the public. Selangor Journal l MARCH 2021 LOCAL 13

Markets good at SOP

SHAH ALAM - Both traders der has helped the local and visitors of morning and authorities to take the neces- night markets (pasar pagi, sary measures and this time pasar malam) in Selangor are around, the situation is satis- found to have complied with factory,” Ng told SelangorKini the standard operating proce- on Feb 14. dure (SOP) that has been set. Morning markets in the State executive council- state began operating under lor for local government Ng new norms on Jan 18, trading Sze Han said that the opera- from 6am to 12pm, while night tions at the markets have run markets have been operating smoothly and no issues have from 4pm to 10pm since Feb 5. been raised. The SOP and regulations of “Experience from the pre- the markets are set by the lo- vious movement control or- cal councils.

The part of Sungai Klang near the Tun Sambanthan monorail station in , on Oct 31, 2014 Air Selangor sets out to allay fears

By ZAREEF MUZAMMIL “All kinds of dirt from the riv- said the Selangor government er will settle at the base of the is confident that its aim to turn Visitors at the farmers’ market in Section 13 Shah Alam can SHAH ALAM - The people of Se- pond and the cleaner water will Sungai Klang into a water supply be seen wearing face masks and practising social distancing langor do not need to worry be channelled to the water treat- source is feasible following im- on Jan 31. Many stalls also displayed Covid-19 related notices about the water quality of Sungai ment plants (WTPs) for treatment proved water quality levels. and reminders Klang as one of the new sources before it reaches consumers,” Air Izham said the river-cleaning of water supply. Selangor said on Facebook. and conservation programme Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn It further explained that Taps through the Selangor Maritime Bhd (Air Selangor) said water is also an alternative method to Gateway (SMG), which started in from the river will go through a address water supply problems 2016, managed to bring back the Reward for reporting biological pretreatment process in the event of pollution and en- ecosystem of the area. using the riverbank water stor- sure that WTPs are still operation- The SMG project is a state gov- age (Taps) method. al within a span of 28 days. ernment initiative that focuses on on dumping The agency said raw water is Previously the state executive the rejuvenation of Sungai Klang stored using the downstream councillor for infrastructure and through cleaning, conservation pond at the edge of the river. public amenities Izham Hashim and development. SHAH ALAM - Selayang Mu- dumping activities to MPS will nicipal Council (MPS) is offer- be rewarded. ing a RM350 cash reward “But provided that the to any individual who information they give reports illegal will lead to the ar- New treatment plant at Sungai Klang dumping activ- rest of the cul- ities in areas prits,” he said SHAH ALAM - Pengu- “The water abstrac- it biologically at the detention under its ju- in a state- rusan Air Selangor tion from Sungai pond before treating it again at risdiction. ment on Feb Sdn Bhd (Air Se- Klang is actually the nearby WTP,” the agency said Its presi- 10. langor) plans to aimed at opti- on Facebook. dent Sham- For more build a new wa- mising the use The statement was made fol- sul Shahril information, ter treatment of raw water re- lowing doubts from many social Badliza Mohd the public can plant (WTP) sources down- media users over the use of Sun- Noor said the contact the MPS downstream of stream without gai Klang as a new water source decision was Enforcement and Sungai Klang. it being wasted for the future and the quality of made to help the lo- Security Department The water op- into the sea. its water. cal authority combat this ir- at 03-61266009 and 03- erator informed “It is in line with Meanwhile, when contacted, responsible activity. 61266038. that the construction the latest trend by a spokesperson for Air Selan- “To encourage the commu- Last year, a total of 22 ille- of the WTP will provide ad- global water operators gor said further development nity to become the eyes and gal dumping sites were suc- ditional water supply to consum- who also abstract raw water related to the matter will be an- ears of the local authority, in- cessfully detected by MPS and ers in the future. from downstream and then treat nounced soon. dividuals who report illegal 57 compounds were issued. 14 ADUN SPEAKS Selangor Journal l MARCH 2021

New ideas for an old town

By SHERILYN PANG

ukit Gasing covers a land area of approximately 11 square kilometres from PJ Sections 1 to 19, excluding Sections 3 and 4. It is home to more than 80,000 people, half of whom are senior citizens, and has a registered Bvoter count of 44,000. Nestled in the heart of Bukit Gasing is PJ Old Town, a much-loved township built during the British era of the 1950s and developed as an in- dependent satellite city to Kuala Lumpur. The oldest part of town has kept its charm amidst the newer bustle of city life, and two-term state as- Rajiv poses with semblyman Rajiv Rishyakaran has devoted N34 himself to providing the best and most inno- BUKIT GASING KDEBWM workers vative solutions to the people there. at the Bistari Flats in Petaling Jaya after observing Selangor Journal (SJ): What is the offers a nat- them at work on main industry in your constituency? ural environ- Feb 24 ment to the ment. As such, to survive in these times. Rajiv Rishyakaran (RR): Bukit township. We they concern We are also the first in the Gasing is a mature township with have large parks for themselves with country to bring down the price a fair amount of office and com- sports and recreational transnational of the Covid-19 test kits to enable mercial buildings compared to purposes such as Taman Jaya issues like cli- more people, especially from the most other constituencies in Se- and Padang Astaka. People mate change, B40 group, access to testing. Our langor. What’s more interesting love the parks. Altogether, which is why I RM70 for the Antigen Rapid Test is the fact that due to its histori- there are 40 neighbourhood had launched Kit (RTK-Ag) initiative was unprec- cal background, Bukit Gasing is parks within the 11sq km this campaign edented. We managed to pull it a place where one can find tradi- area. At the same time, the called the ‘100 off and now, more state constitu- tional businesses, from food to potential of the place actual- Youth Am- encies are following suit. hardware shops, run by senior res- ly attracts many companies bassadors Cli- idents. These bustling commercial to set up their headquarters mate Action’ to SJ: What are some of your prob- areas contribute greatly to the and offices here, thus contrib- spread aware- lem-solving methods? state government’s revenue. uting to the thriving atmo- ness about the More than 15 years ago, it used sphere. problem. We RR: When problems arise, we to boast a substantial amount And most certainly, we are are recruiting consult closely with the relevant of industrial activities. However, the centre of good food, with ambassadors, government departments. It is these industries started relocat- lots of options for traditional young and imperative to figure out practi- ing to other constituencies due to cooking to keep people com- old, to join us cal solutions for the government the appreciation of the land val- ing back. Being the oldest part and promote to cope with the issues as well. I ue. In turn, more people from the of PJ, one can find almost any- green and would discuss the solutions with corporate and office sectors start- thing under our roof, so it is a sustainable the departments concerned and ed moving in. merge of the old and the new. practices to try to accomplish what the people the public to expect of us. Some problems take SJ: What is the main attraction in SJ: What are the concerns fight climate a long time to solve, while some Bukit Gasing? raised by your constituents and change. only require one or two phone how do you address them? lem in everyone’s mind is the Ultimately, the pandemic is calls, depending on the circum- RR: We are blessed with the economy. How are we going to still the biggest problem now stances of the cases and the abil- Bukit Gasing Forest Reserve that RR: Right now, the main prob- bounce back from this Covid-19 and we are focused on helping ity of the relevant department to pandemic? Potholes, drainage people get through it by ensur- solve them. issues, or broken equipment are ing that the welfare of the peo- In terms of funding for solu- not exclusive to Bukit Gasing, but ple is not neglected. We contrib- tions, many things can be thankfully, we have less of them ute food aid and facilitate the achieved by making the right ar- compared to many other parts transition to distance learning rangements and planning. We of Malaysia. Our residents are for students. don’t always have to spend the demanding about getting things We also organised a laptop government’s (allocated) funds done the right way so they would donation drive to help under- to achieve an objective. Most of highlight these issues instantly. privileged students own laptops. the time, there are other ways Thankfully, many people re- to achieve our goals. I am happy SJ: What are your achievements so sponded to our call and came for- when I can solve problems and far in your constituency? ward to donate their used devices help bring positive change for which are still in good condition the betterment of the people. RR: Bukit Gasing is an affluent to fulfil the needs of these stu- That is the fulfilling part of this township with residents who set dents. And we are assisting peo- job. Bukit Gasing may not be per- The Bukit Gasing representative checks on some pipe replacement a high standard for the services ple to obtain business licenses so fect, but we have been relatively work taking place in Section 2, Petaling Jaya, on Feb 25 they expect from the local govern- that they can run a side business peaceful. Selangor Journal l MARCH 2021 SPORTS 15

Xtiv Virtual back with more games, prizes

By NADIAH ZAMLUS games including three new ones, the Selangor Xtiv Virtual Chess, SHAH ALAM - The Selangor the Selangor Xtiv Virtual Ride and Xtiv Virtual 2021 competition the Selangor Xtiv Virtual Jump will begin this March, offer- Rope Challenge. ing accumulated prizes worth “The four games that will be RM411,680. continued from last year are the State executive councillor for Selangor Xtiv Virtual Esports, the youth and sports development Selangor Xtiv Virtual Marathon, said the Selangor Martial Arts Xtiv Vir- the multi-category competition tual and the Selangor Xtiv Virtual hopes to attract 450,000 partici- Youth Busking,” he said in a state- pants and is expected to run until ment on Feb 22. December. Mohd Khairuddin said the pro- It was planned for this year gramme is an initiative of the Se- following the success of the Se- langor government to encourage langor Xtiv Virtual 2020 that at- the people, especially the youth, tracted 250,632 participants and to remain active during the coun- 18 million views on social media try’s stay-home orders. platforms. For more information on Xtiv “Participants will be able to Virtual, visit www.facebook.com/ choose from seven categories of selangorxtiv2020/.

Ministry urged to decide on Sukma age limit

SHAH ALAM - The Youth and demic hit the country. Sports Ministry (KBS) is urged “We understand the current to hasten its decision on ath- situation, even though it (Suk- letes who have passed the age ma) can be organised, not nec- limit to compete in the 2022 essarily next year will be safe. Sukan Malaysia (Sukma) in Also for a year, they (athletes) . had to undergo irregular and Selangor State Sports Coun- out-of-the-norm training. cil (MSNS) executive chairman “Thus, to get maximum per- Mohamad Nizam Marjugi formance results is quite im- said they are still waiting for possible considering the lack of the decision from the highest training and preparations such committee to determine which as fitness, physical and skills,” athletes are eligible to repre- he said. sent the state at the biennial The 2020 Sukma and Para First training session kicks off games. Sukma in Johor were scheduled “We have yet to receive the to be held in July and August SHAH ALAM - Selangor FC angor team had also quaran- weekly screening. ruling (age limit). It is learnt but were cancelled when the started its training session for tined its players at their respec- On Feb 9, Senior Minister (Se- that the committee’s board had Covid-19 pandemic entered its the 2021 Malaysian League tive homes, unlike other teams curity) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri a meeting last December but third wave. (M-League) season on Feb 15 af- where their players are placed at Yaakob announced that the the matter was not decided. Johor was again offered to ter fulfilling the conditions set by centralised camps. M-League, Malaysian Hockey “So we urge them to make host the 2022 edition as the the Malaysian Football League “Therefore, all players need to League (MHL) and Sepak Takraw a decision and immediately in- state is 99 per cent ready in (MFL). know their responsibilities and League (STL) teams are allowed form us so that we can prepare the areas of planning, manage- Its chief executive officer Dr abide by the standard operating to begin training. the athletes,” he said when ment and games facilities. Johan Kamal Hamidon said its procedure (SOP) as we do not Ismail Sabri said players must contacted on Feb 15. The age limit for participa- players and officials were sent for want problems to arise in the fu- be quarantined at a camp or Mohamad Nizam said the el- tion for is below Covid-19 screening tests on Feb ture,” he told SelangorKini. residence set by their respective igibility requirement is impor- 21 years, yet there are sport- 13 and a sanitisation process was As an additional precaution- teams and would not be allowed tant to give justice to the ath- ing events like gymnastics that held at the training ground here. ary measure, Dr Johan said play- to go out or socialise with out- letes who have been preparing set the age limit even lower, “Aside from that, the Sel- ers and officials must undergo siders. for two years before the pan- at 15. One step ahead with SELangkah

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