theSun | THURSDAY AUGUST 6 2009
INTERVIEWS VIEWS
You’ve been in Subang Jaya
for a long time – 30 years. But
you are not a local.
I am from Kota Baru. I did my
primary schooling in Kelantan,
my secondary in Penang (Dato
Keramat Convent) and then
my tertiary education in Kuala
Lumpur (Universiti Malaya).
I bought my first house when
the Subang Jaya township was
launched. Since then I have
moved a few times, but always
stayed in SJ and now USJ.
Tell us about your start in
politics?
I got involved in community
service in 1995. The following
year, a group of friends decided
to join MCA and urged me to
join. Later in 1998, I became
the branch chairman (of Kelana
Jaya) and in 1999 I became the
division wanita deputy chief and
state wanita executive council-
lor. I have not looked back
since. I was active in the party’s
consumer affairs bureau. I even
went on air over Radio 5 to talk
about consumer rights. I was
also interviewed fortnightly by
a Chinese newspaper on con-
sumer issues.
What are among the sig-
nificant issues you have
highlighted?
I took up a lot of issues like the
Plus-Tag, now Smart Tag. At
that time when you lost the card,
whatever money you had in the
tag was lost. But now if your tag
is stolen and if you have the top
up slip which has your account
number, you can still go to the
counter, pay the RM15 deposit
and secure the card and what-
ever amount is left in it.
Another issue was the time-
sharing concept. In the 1990s, a
lot of developers were keen on
selling club memberships for
RM10,000 or RM20,000 with
free holidays every year. They
had linked up with places in Port
Dickson, Europe or Hongkong,
for instance, and members could
apply to stay there. The problem
was, they would only have 30
rooms but 5,000 to 10,000 mem-
bers. If many members applied
at the same time for the same
popular location, they might not
be able to get it. Initially, it was
an exciting concept. But then,
there were a lot of complaints.
We took this up and highlighted
it in the papers.
So, you mostly dealt with
consumer issues.
Yes. And, apart from that, I was
also involved in education and
general issues. Over the past one
year, our division picked up on
a lot of issues as we have more
chances to meet the people face
to face. As long as it is a people
issue, we are for it.
How has it been like after
Pakatan Rakyat took over
the state? Do you have fewer
activities now?
No. Our team is still busy. But
I would say that the March 8
general election results – the
tsunami – came as a shock. The
party and the divisions had to
do a lot of internal adjustment.
From April last year until August,
we were not able to do much for
the community as we were busy
with party elections. But now we
are back helping the people.
Selangor is now ruled by
Pakatan. Is the MCA still
needed?
Yes. If anybody comes to us for
help, like for transfer of schools
or anything, we will help. And
during our walk-around, people
complain to us, for example
about the market. There was a
big hole on the floor and it had
been left unattended for months.
Nobody took a personal inter-
est. So, we highlighted it to the
MPSJ and got it fixed within two
weeks.
My team in MCA Kelana
Jaya is people-orientated and
holds people’s needs to their
hearts. Last August, the Barisan
Nasional leadership appointed
Lee Hwa Beng as Subang Jaya
state assembly development
coordinator and me as officer
for the Kelana Jaya parliamen-
tary constituency. Though
these two seats are in Pakatan
Rakyat hands, the BN wants to
continue serving (the people).
Every Tuesday night our office
is open to the public and we still
have a lot of people coming to
us for help.
What is your advice for wom-
en interested in politics?
You need to adjust. I am happy I
have three grown-up kids, all are
successful, straight-A children.
My daughter is on the dean’s
list almost every semester. My
son is also the same. Basically,
as mothers, we don’t have to be
with our children 24 hours. But
we must know when they need
us. Like when they have exams,
they must know we are always
available. And I always motivate
them.
11
What price family life?
by Yap Mun Ching London, bank- symptoms,
ers and traders we always
A FAVOURITE commercial often earn six- come to the
directed by late filmmaker figure annual same conclu-
Yasmin Ahmad was aired salaries. But sion: they are
in 2006. The scene opens even in this aware that
in a yard where four eld- financial Nev- their work-life
erly women are sharing a erland, reality balances are
meal and discussing their has begun to skewed in the
offspring. The first boasts sink. More and wrong direc-
of her successful lawyer more young tions but none
daughter and businessman
son whose clients include
professionals
are facing
Freespace feel able to
change things.
Hongkong star Andy Lau. possible bank- Where young views rule “Why not?”
The second pooh-poohs ruptcy after I demand.
this and tells of her Lon- living beyond “Because I
don-based surgeon son their means. may be the next one out,”
who makes £20,000 an Life in the city often some answer. The lucky
operation. The third brags means regularly meeting for ones feel too pressured by
of her auditor son who drinks, meals at expensive their dependence on their
makes RM450,000 a year. restaurants and shopping salaries, perks and the life-
The happiest woman turns at any hour of the work day. style that comes with the
out to be the one whose But as many have discov- job. The less fortunate ones
son drives an Iswara but ered, life catches up all the stress about simply staying
loves his mother so much same. For some, it is a quiet employed. The other things
that he would not dream request by human resourc- they have in common are
of celebrating the season es not to return to work trips to counsellors and the
without her. the next day. Last month, a occasional pill to keep the
Yasmin’s clip cannot but 24-year-old socialite trader blood pressure down.
make us think about our who received such an order So perhaps Yasmin is
lives. What is the right bal- leapt to his death from a right. Career isn’t every-
ance between striving for rooftop restaurant. thing, neither is money.
wealth and living life? Can As if to reinforce this Just before I left my last job
we do both without sacrific- lesson of the recession, an- a year ago, three colleagues
ing some part of ourselves other discovery that I made pulled me aside for a chat.
or abandoning our values? recently is the unhappy “Remember, career is im-
These are some of the fact that all but two of my portant but make sure you
questions that are being friends who work in this city don’t forget to make time
contemplated with much suffer from some form of to have a family,” they tell
more seriousness now that stress-related illness. Back me. Looks like I have to take
the recession has exposed pains, joint aches, migraines, them seriously after all.
the unreliability of a life plan nausea – all of which defy
based on chasing riches. treatment. As we try to Comments: letters@thesun-
Where I am in the City of discuss the triggers of their daily.com.