Zeroing in on dengue cases
Tan aims to clean up Selangor from being hotbed for the disease
BALAKONG: Nothing escapes MCA’s Balakong by-election candidate Tan Chee Teong – not even the piled up trash that has contributed to Selangor being one of the “hottest” states for dengue.
Tan said neglected areas such as Seri Cheras, which sits right at the edge of the state constituency, have become hotbeds for dengue cases.
Pointing to the bulk of waste and overflowing drains, he said these were examples of poor planning and neglect.
“My manifesto brings up these issues because although the work to maintain the drainage and waste collection is small, no one is doing it properly,” said Tan.
“Why make Selangor one of the “hottest states” in Malaysia for dengue cases?” he said.
Tan said as of June this year, Selangor had recorded 15,944 dengue cases, making up 55% of the total in the country.
Other areas such as Taman Kasturi’s business district were also suffering from the same neglect, he said.
“Do you want to wait until there are a lot of deaths before you understand that this is an issue that needs to be resolved?” he asked.
“I hope that voters will give me a chance to raise this issue at the state assembly,” he said, adding that such basic issues could be solved by good planning.
Tan said his opponent Wong Siew Ki’s reply on the abolishment of tolls – part of the Pakatan Harapan manifesto – was reminiscent of that of her own boss, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
“Her reply followed that of Lim when he was asked about the proposal for a third national car,” he said, adding that the Finance Minister had then asked the media to redirect the question to the Prime Minister.
“If Wong were to refer to her party leaders over every single matter, what is the point of electing her as assemblyman?” he said, adding that Wong would then only be serving as a messenger for the state and federal governments and not act as the people’s representative.
Asked on the abolishment of tolls, Wong had earlier said the issue was a federal one and this should be referred to Lim.
Tan said as it was a Pakatan’s promise, Wong should work to ensure that she pushed it through.
On whether he would help to carry out programmes initiated by the late assemblyman Eddie Ng, Tan said there was no reason not to support them if they were beneficial to the public.