Pandan Perdana Pavement Upgrade – Never On Sunday

Upgrading of pavement at Pandan Perdana
Upgrading of pavement at Pandan Perdana.

A few stretches of pavements at Jalan Perdana 3/1 in Pandan Perdana are currently being upgraded. I am very particular about these upgrading works because the previous upgrading on a different stretch of the pavement was done haphazardly and could not be used safely although I have stressed to the previous ADUN for Teratai on the need to follow the code of practice. He was the one who got the allocation for upgrading part of the pavement in 2007.

Anyway, imagine to my horror when I found out that there were no kerb ramps to the pavements in the current upgrading works. I asked around and was made to understand that the MP for Pandan Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat had provided an allocation for these works. I posted a note in Facebook and tagged him, asking him to ensure that there are kerbs ramps as one of the pavements has a bus stop. If we cannot get to the bus stop, we definitely cannot board the buses when RapidKL deploy their non-step buses on this route.

The bus stop at Pandan Perdana
The bus stop in the midst of pavement upgrading works at Pandan Perdana.

Through Facebook, I was given the phone number of Ong Tee Keat’s Service Centre Public Liaison Officer, Kent Ng, together with the office phone and email. I called the office number on Sunday afternoon. There was no answer. Then I called Kent and explained the issue to him. He said he would get back to me. I followed up with an email briefly detailing on how the kerb ramp should be constructed.

Work on the pavement is currently still on going. I was afraid that the pavement would be completed before any action is taken. I waited until this afternoon and called Kent again. He told me that he would submit my complaint to Datuk Seri Ong. I asked him when and explained the urgency of the matter. What he said to me following that was totally unexpected.

No kerb ramp
No kerb ramp.

“Mister, you called me on Sunday. Do you know Sunday is rest day?”

It was not what he said that irked me but the tone of him saying it. I said I knew but it is Monday now and I am calling him again to check and ask him when action will be taken. He gave me the same line that he will submit my complaint and that I had called him on a Sunday. YES, I KNEW IT WAS SUNDAY! If the matter was not urgent, I would not have called.

After that incident, and as far as I am concerned, I have done the necessary to enlighten Datuk Seri Ong regarding this matter. I shall wait and see how it pans out. Surely, the MP for Pandan who is also the Minister of Transport already understands the issues of public transport with regards to the street environment. His ministry and related agencies have been engaging disabled persons’ organisations in this matter for a long time already. I pray he will do the right thing.

Hmm, I hear the Chordettes singing…

Another end of pavement with no kerb ramp
Another end of pavement with no kerb ramp.

Close up of the dug up pavement with kerb
Close up of the dug up pavement with kerb.

Christmas Eve With YB Jenice Lee

ADUN for Teratai Jenice Lee meeting with disabled people from her constituency
(L to R) Robert Wang, Tan Weng Aun, Peter Tan, Jenice Lee and Mrs. Robert Wang.

After the briefing on the MPAJ Local Draft Plan, ADUN for Teratai Jenice Lee invited us to lunch with her on Christmas Eve at the Pandan Lake Seafood Village. This was to discuss further accessibility issues faced by disabled people in her constituency in relation to the local draft plan. Jenice herself saw firsthand how we had problems getting into the restaurant as the premises did not have a ramp. We also sought her advice on the parties we should seek in the MPAJ to resolve access problems.

Currently, the provision of accessible facilities in the Ampang Jaya is still minimal at best. Although progress is slow, we will keep up with active engagement with the MPAJ to ensure that they are constantly aware of the problems faced by disabled people in the municipality. What is most telling is that the town planner of MPAJ Awang Mustapha revealed that the needs of disabled people were not included in the local draft plan until we brought it up at the briefing. Nevertheless, we thank Jenice for the support she has given to our cause since our first meeting with her shortly after she won the Teratai state constituency in the 12th General Election.

Abandoned Kitten From Pandan Perdana Market

Kitten cuddling up next to Fei Por
Kitten cuddling up next to Fei Por.
Photo by Wuan.

Wuan rescued a kitten from the Pandan Perdana market last Sunday. It was mewing incessantly near a garbage bin. It was scrawny, scruffy and looked so fragile. As we had to go out, we left her with Fei Por in the compound. Unfortunately, Fei Por was not interested in mothering over the kitten as she did with Cheeky. When we came back in the evening, the kitten was nowhere in sight. We searched around the neighbourhood for a couple of hours without success.

Close up shot of kitten
Close up shot of kitten.
Photo by Wuan.

This morning, Wuan found the kitten a few houses away. It had a dislocated shoulder. Its front right leg was dangling limply to the body. I do not know how Wuan did it but she managed to pop the shoulder back into the socket. She left for work after that. The kitten was confined alone in Cheeky’s room for the whole day. We converted one bathroom for Cheeky to live in. We were not too sure how Cheeky would take to it as he can be rather aggresive at times. We though it was better to keep the two apart first.

Kitten sound asleep
Kitten sound asleep.
Photo by Wuan.

It was walking normally when we checked on him just now. It was as if nothing happened. It could even climb up the one step from Cheeky’s room to the hallway. We are glad it is fine now. We still cannot make out its gender. We would love to adopt it ourselves but we cannot possibly look after another cat. We are going to take him to the vet this weekend to have it put up for adoption. Hopefully he will get a good home.