Light at the end of tunnel

BAGAN MCA has come to the aid of a single mother and her three children who have been living without power supply to their flat un it at Ampang Jajar in Mak Mandin near Butterworth.

Bagan MCA Youth chief David Chua, who is also the Bagan Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) officer, and Sungai Puyu ICU officer Sum Yoo Keong made arrangements to restore the power supply which was disconnected about a month ago.

R. Kogilam, 40, said Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) disconnected her power supply and dismantled the meter when she failed to settle her RM150 bill for three months.

“I went to the TNB office but they asked for the tenancy agreement with the state Housing Department. I then sought Chua’s help as my agreement expired on Aug 31,” she said.

Kogilam said Chua obtained a letter from the department after he made an appeal and agreed to settle her outstanding rental of RM1,500.

★ Household essentials: Chua (right) presenting food item to Kogilam (left) and her daughter Joyce. With them are (from second right) resident committee member Nordin Mohd Saad, Sum, Flat Ampang Jajar KRT deputy chairman Ibrahim Md Din and Bagan MCA member Mary Tong during their visit to Kogilam's flat in Mak Mandin, Butterworth.

She said she could not go to work as she has an intestinal ailment which required her to visit the Alor Setar Hospital once a month for treatment, and her eight-year-old daughter Joyce is suffering from a form of amnesia.

Kogilam’s husband died 10 years ago from a heart ailment. Besides Joyce, who is in Year Two, she also has two other daughters, aged 17 and 18.

She said she received an RM200 monthly aid from the Welfare Department and RM150 from the Buddhist Tzu-Chi Merits Society Malaysia, and her eldest daughter is looking for a job.

Chua said he would go to the TNB office tomorrow to restore the power.

“I will check with the Health Ministry whether Kogilam could seek treatment from the Seberang Jaya Hospital or Penang Hospital, or if the hospital could courier her medication to her house, as the travelling incurs additional expenses,” he said.

Chua also handed over food items to the family, including a birthday cake for Joyce who turned eight on Sept 18.
The Star
By S. ARULLDAS

Chua tells PDC to submit report to Lim, not Dr Ng

★ from left to right : Tang Heap Seng, David Chua Teik Siang and Sum Yoo Keong

BUTTERWORTH: The Penang Development Corporation (PDC) should submit the report on the controversial RM5mil ‘Kancil car park’ to its chairman Lim Guan Eng and not to Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

Bagan MCA Youth chief David Chua said PDC general manager Datuk Rosli Jaafar should follow protocol and submit it to his boss, Lim, who is also the chief minister.

“Rosli does not report to the tourism minister. What is the rational in submitting to her (Dr Ng) and what sort of protocol is this?” questioned Chua.

He also questioned the sincerity of Lim, who claimed that he was not informed about the project.

Chua said this at a press conference at the Bagan MCA office at Kampung Bengali here yesterday.

Also present were state MCA vice chairman Tang Heap Seng and Bagan MCA vice-chairman Sum Yoo Keong.

Chua was responding to the article ‘PDC to submit Kancil car park report to Yen Yen’ published yesterday.

Chua, who said Lim should make a stand, questioned his refusal to elaborate on the matter.

He also urged Lim to set up a committee to investigate the matter and reveal its outcome without further delay.

Tang, who is the Bukit Bendera MCA chief and a civil engineer by profession, said the enquiries about the project started in 2009/2010.

He said the project was forced to be delayed after rocks were found embedded in the ground during foundation work.

The allocation for the project was approved in 2007 while the structural and layout plans were submitted to the Penang Municipal Council in 2009.

Tang said the media has been reporting the matter since 2009 and until today, there has been no response from Lim.

“Lim will only respond if the matter is to his favour and if it is not, he will not respond,” he said.