theSun | WEDNESDAY JULY 15 2009 11

Tea in aid of
Residents call for revamp cancer patients
by Alyaa Alhadjri drinks as well. But alcohol bev-

of local council
by Eva Yeong
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
RESIDENTS of KIP Sutera Apart-
ments in Taman KIP, Selayang want
the Selayang Municipal Council
(MPS) to stop turning a deaf ear to
complaints on problems faced by the
community.
“Our quality of life is affected by
them,” resident Stephen Ng (pix)
said.
According to him, complaints
have been made over various issues,
some 10 years ago, but have yet to
be resolved. An example, he said, is
Jalan Usaha Ehsan which has been
without streetlights since Taman
Ehsan was developed 20 years ago.
In 1999, residents brought up the
issue, stating the dangers faced by
road users such as accidents and
crime, Ng said.
“Until today, the streetlights have
not been installed and the reason
given by MPS is the budget alloca-
tions are not enough. We’re asked to
wait for next year’s budget.”
Another matter was malfunction-
ing streetlights on Persiaran KIP
Utama, frequently brought up to the
council as well as the Public Com-
plaints Bureau over three years, but
which Ng said was not addressed
until a complaint was made to Chief
Secretary to the Government Tan Sri
Mohd Sidek Hassan.
On July 6 this year, MPS’s engi-
neering department finally invited
tenders to repair the streetlights.
“Ratepayers like myself are ask-
ing: do we need to keep complain-
ing? Do we need to hold banners
to protest their inefficiency? Do we
need to keep writing to the chief
secretary to the federal government
before anything is done?” Ng asked.
He said ratepayers, who pay be-
tween RM300 and RM500 a month,
are demanding better services and
that more attention is paid to the
state of public amenities and facili-
ties.
Several others including local
councillor Zulnizam Shahrani and
state exco member Elizabeth Wong
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
A SOFT launch of “Jamuan Teh
Malaysia” was held recently at
the residence of Australian
High Commissioner Penny
Williams.
had also The event is modelled after
raised these the highly successful “Austral-
grouses with ia’s Biggest Morning Tea” – an
MPS but to annual fundraiser held by the
no avail. Australian Cancer Council.
“It is time Hosted in collaboration with
that we ask the Breast Cancer Welfare As-
the Housing sociation (BCWA) and National
and Local Gov- Cancer Society of Malaysia
ernment Ministry (NCSM), it aims to raise funds
and the state gov- for cancer-related services to
ernment to implement patients, survivors, families
changes within the council. Enough and the public.
is enough! Underperforming staff The launch of “Jamuan Teh
should be replaced with people who Malaysia” will be on Aug 13
are serious about their work,” Ng Australia and various jamuan teh will be
said. held from Aug 13 to 16.
Selayang MP William Leong
says “Hosts can run their jamuan
said a revamp of the system and the China teh as creatively as possible, at
management of the local govern- stonewall- any time or place, but the same
ment is necessary to effect a change rule applies to the methods of
of attitude in MPS.
ing in spy collecting donations,” Williams
“We want to ensure the people’s probe said.
interests are protected,” he said. “We pg 15 “Tea bags sponsored by
want our councillors and MPS to be Boh will be provided to the
transparent in the way the money is hosts for the main beverage
spent as the budget of RM120 million served at the tea party.
for all of Selayang is small,” he said. “Hosts can serve other
erages are strictly prohibited.”
Hosts are required to spon-
sor the whole jamuan teh and
100% of funds raised will be
donated to BCWA and NCSM.
Interested groups or
individuals have to register to
be a host by contacting the
organisers before Aug 13. They
can get forms online at http://
jamuantehmalaysia.blogspot.
com, or by calling 03-79540133
/ 03-26987300 to get an email
or fax copy of the form.
“BCWA is an association
which offers psychosocial
support to cancer survivors
especially because many
women are scared since social
stigma against them are still
very strong,” BCWA president
Ranjit Kaur said.
NCSM, which started with
public education programmes
in 1966 now houses medical
facilities offering a whole range
of cancer related services at a
highly subsidised fee.
“We are the only NGO in
the country that provides such
holistic cancer treatment and
support to patients and their
caregivers through all our
clinical centres,” NCSM adviser
Datuk Zuraidah Atan said.

The announcers with a mock cheque of the

contribution to develop the 2km trail.

1,000 join AMP’s Tree Party

ABOUT 1,000 people took
part in the Tree Party hosted
by AMP Radio Networks
(AMP) and its eight stations,
ERA, MY FM, hitz.fm, MIX
fm, LiteFM, SINAR, XFM
and THR Raaga at the Kota
Damansara Community For-
est recently.
The event, from 8am to
5pm, saw about 300 trees
planted by individuals and
corporate organisations who
pledged RM50 for each tree.
The Tree Party, held as
part of AMP’s annual cor-
porate social responsibility
project in conjunction with
World Environment Day
which falls on June 5 every
year, was co-organised with
nature conservation groups,
Wild Asia and Friends of
Kota Damansara (FOKD).
Among VIPs who were
present to lend support were
Subang MP R. Sivarasa, Kota
Damansara assemblyman Dr
Mohd Nasir Hashim.
Also present were FOKD
chairman Mah Weng Kwai,
Malaysian Nature Soci-
ety president Tan Sri Salleh
Mohd Nor, and Wild Asia
founder and director Dr Reza
Azmi, who launched the Tree
Party.
Reza said it was important
for the community to con-
tinue instilling eco-friendly
practises into their daily lives
in order to see its positive
impact.
On air and online promo-
tion had been carried out
with radio listeners being
urged to pledge RM50 which
entitled them to one tree for
planting with the announc-
ers, contribution to building
a 2km trail, an e-certificate,
plus an organic gift pack.
All pledges were managed
by Wild Asia and a portion
of the proceeds amounting
to RM5,000 was given to
Friends of Kota Damansara
(FOKD) to develop a 2km
nature trail in the forest.
From 9am to noon, lis-
teners mingled with AMP’s
top radio announcers and
planted four forest trees
namely, Pittosporum ferrugi-
neum, Pouteria obovata, Dip-
terocarpus chartaceou and
Buchanania arborescens.
“I’m glad listeners came
to the Tree Party, I had fun
planting trees with them and
made a lot of new friends.
There is a fun nature trail
there too, you should go
there!” said Rex of LiteFM.
“I had a fun time at the
tree party, especially hiking
through the 2km nature trail”
said Dina of XFM.
“I hope this event will
be a yearly thing so we can
help make the environment
greener,” she added.
Visitors also enjoyed
guided nature walks, kay-
aking, photo competition,
children’s eco-play sessions,
mountain bike time trial and
performances by indie outfit
Joanna & Co and Bantus
Capoeira.