Kajang municipality MPKj finally acknowledged the legitimate and relentless struggle put up by the Bandar Sg Long hawkers and residents over the controversial "shit pond" wet market.

_______________________________________
Media Statement
by Ronniu Liew Thian Khiew
____________________________________________

(Petaling Jaya, Thusday): After suffering from a denial syndrome for close to two months, the Kajang municipality MPKj finally acknowledged the legitimate and relentless struggle put up by the Bandar Sg Long hawkers and residents over the controversial "shit pond" wet market. MPKj has agreed to move the wet market away from the IndahWater oxidation pond to a new site away from the oxidation pond.

Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai and DAP Selangor have been sympathetic with struggle of the hawkers and residents from day one. We have brought their case to the Selangor Menteri Besar office last Saturday after the hawkers and residents have failed to get any help from the MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, who happens to be Minister for Housing and Local Government.

This is indeed a sweet victory for the Bandar Sg Long Hawkers' Rights Action Committee led by pork seller Yap Keam Hui and the Evergreen Condos residents who were fighting hard to keep their serene and peaceful living environment.

Credits must also be given to the local DAP branch led by Sdr Tan Han Kuo and Lee Kee Hiong. They have been championing the cause without fear or favour throughout the struggle.

The residents and hawkers can now focus their struggle on getting MPKj and the township’s developer to build a permanent market and hawker centre in Bandar Sg Long.

The site earmarked for the market and hawker centre in the Bandar Sg Long master plan is now used as an open air car park for the MCA-linked UTAR. Both MPKj and the developer Sin Heap Lee-Marubeni Sdn Bhd have failed to explain why the market was still not up after more than 12 years. They have clearly contravened with the Town and Country Planning Act and other legislations.

The "shit pond" market controversy in a way has reflected the importance of the third vote campaign launched by the DAP since March this year. The incident would not have taken place if the councilors need to pass the test of the people every two or three years in elections.

We believe the restoration of local government elections would go a long way to democratize the decision-making process of all local governments.

(30/6/2005)

* Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew, DAP International Secretary and NGO bureau chief