A DREAM FOR SUBANG JAYA: A CITY WITH SOUL

By Sarawakian

Have you ever wondered whether a city can have a soul – one with memory, warmth and belonging? My dream is for Subang Jaya to become that kind of city: not the most atas city, but a place where a schoolchild, an aunty, a university student and an old uncle can all say, “This is our place lah.” A city with soul knows where it came from, cares for those living in it now and plans wisely for those still to come.

Long before the flyovers and highways, much of this place was Seafield Estate, a rubber plantation. The original township took shape from SS12 to SS19. Development later moved into USJ, followed by Putra Heights. Families arrived, schools opened, kedai makan filled up, and neighbours knew whose children belonged to which house. Subang Jaya became a municipality in 1997 and, on 20 October 2020, a city under MBSJ. Wah, city status already. But a title on paper is not yet a soul.

The old township was not perfect, but its human scale made it special. Children cycled to friends’ houses without sending live locations. Residents met at the pasar, school gate, temple, church, mosque, kopitiam or mamak. Subang Parade, SS15 and Taipan became places to makan, gossip, argue about football and settle community matters over teh tarik. Taman Subang Ria gave us room to breathe; today, Subang PARC brings cafés and events beside the lake. Places may evolve, provided greenery and public life remain central.

Today, Subang Jaya is mature, connected and busy. The Sunway Pyramid lion and Sunway Lagoon are known far beyond the city; Subang Parade, Nu Empire, SS15 Courtyard and futuristic Menara Mesiniaga mark its changing landscape. We have universities, hospitals, highways, KTM, LRT and the BRT at USJ 7. From Putra Heights through Taipan, SS15 and SS16, convenience is everywhere. Bagus. Yet convenience alone does not create belonging. A smart, sustainable city is felt in a safe crossing, reliable bus, shaded footpath and clean drains and not merely in a cantik presentation slide.

Sometimes, the more connected we become, the more disconnected we feel. We demolish an old shopfront, cut a mature tree or cement a green verge, then complain, “Aiyo, why so hot?” We approve projects but forget the kaki lima, drains, shade, school traffic and public space around them. Flash floods, poor maintenance and unsafe walking routes shape daily life. Development without care can make a city kaya on paper but miskin in spirit.

A city with soul does not reject progress; it simply tells progress to behave. New homes must add street life, not become islands behind boom gates. Public transport must connect to safe, shaded walking routes. Parks are shared inheritance, not spare land awaiting a development proposal. Heritage is not only a grand colonial building; it is also the first row of shops, an old rain tree, a familiar hawker, a neighbourhood padang and the stories of those who built this place. The aim is not to freeze Subang Jaya, but to carry its best qualities forward.

To make Subang Jaya a city with soul, we should begin by listening properly. MBSJ and councillors must sit down with residents, orang muda, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, traders, schools and places of worship and not after plans are finalised, but before. Every neighbourhood has valued trees, familiar landmarks, unsafe crossings, banjir hotspots, empty buildings and popular lepak spaces. These should be mapped openly, with clear priorities, budgets and responsible officers. Jangan call it consultation when everything has already been decided, can?

Listening must then lead to visible improvements. Stations, schools, klinik, pasar and commercial centres need continuous shaded paths, safe crossings, ramps, lighting, benches and clean toilets. Feeder buses must be reliable, mature trees protected and drains maintained. When people can walk comfortably, meet one another and enjoy public life, the city begins to feel human again.

These gains must be protected so they do not hilang after one leadership change. New developments should contribute shaded links, useful public spaces, community facilities and climate-resilient drainage. A heritage register can preserve what residents value, while fair support helps small traders survive. Progress should be measured through tree canopy, walking, bus reliability, accessibility, flood reduction, local business survival and residents’ sense of belonging. If results are published every year, promises become harder to forget. What gets measured gets done – usually lah.

The dream also requires honest government. Each zone should have a public scorecard showing every promise, budget, responsible officer, deadline and update. Councillors and elected representatives should turun padang in heavy rain and under the two o’clock sun – not only datang for ribbon-cutting. Residents’ associations, businesses and universities can test ideas, monitor results and care for shared spaces. If a project is delayed, explain; if a mistake is made, correct it. Please, no tai chi between departments. Trust is city infrastructure too.

Residents have homework too. We cannot demand clean streets while dropping rubbish, ask for trees while paving the garden, or complain about traffic while driving 300 metres for kopi. Support the neighbourhood kedai. Greet the makcik next door. Join an open house, admire a lion dance, help create a kolam or share Christmas cheer. Volunteer at a place of worship, school or residents’ association. Share the footpath and look out for children, older people and persons with physical challenges.

In 10 years, I hope Subang Jaya still feels familiar to those who grew up here and welcoming to newcomers. The route from Subang Jaya station to Subang Parade and SS15 should be shaded and safe; Taman Subang Ria should remain green even with development; traders should be able to cari makan; and people of every age and ability should share city life. Children should be able to walk or cycle to school, seniors should rest beneath trees, and young people should be able to afford to create and start businesses here.

A city with soul makes a simple promise: nobody is invisible, no neighbourhood is treated as anak tiri, and progress leaves us with more belonging, not less. Subang Jaya grew from estate land into a township, then from municipality into city. Its next transformation must be from city to community. That cannot be declared at a ceremony or siap within one term. It takes memory, care, participation and patience. We must build it together, sedikit-sedikit, over ten years. Can or not? Of course, can.