EDITORIAL: Subang Jaya Kita Punya – Let Us Protect It

THE year end promises to be an exciting roller-coaster ride for every one of us in Subang Jaya and also for the whole country.

Just as we are picking up the pieces of our lives after the pandemic, the war drums are being beaten for an impending general elections across the country. While it remains to be seen if Parliament will really be dissolved in the coming months before we close the chapter on 2022, we should be ready for any eventuality.

The monsoon season is also approaching. While those of us who live in Subang Jaya (SS12-SS19 and USJ) are not going to find our homes inundated with flood waters, our neighbours in the surrounding areas are already preparing for any possibility that their homes would be affected like it was at the end of last year.

The Subang Jaya City Council is already on hyper gear to prepare for the monsoon season having had a dry run involving many other agencies on water rescues, identifying hotspots for floods and also getting flood relief centres ready to be activated should flood waters come our way. I belief that this time around, we will be more prepared than the last to mobilise help and relief to flood evacuees.

On the other hand, the general elections, should it be called soon will be another matter altogether. While we watch the national politics play its rounds, in Subang Jaya we are more concerned about bread and butter issues.

We are probably the best well-knitted urban community in the country; with so many activities and events that engage communities across the divide. We care for our senior citizens, we care for our young and we pay close attention to our special needs communities. But we must not be complacent. A well-tailored suit if not cleaned properly and cared for will eventually have tears at the seams. The tears will allow ego, greed and self-interest to creep in; destroying the very thing we are protecting. We are blessed to have many selfless community leaders in our midst but eventually we will need new blood to fill the spots to bring us forward. Change is inevitable but change for the better is and should be our ultimate common goal.

At times, I pause to smell the roses these days. Like many others, I realise I am growing older. Being involved in various community work for almost three decades is showing by the way I react to people and their “unique” behaviours and characters. I listen and watch more; although sometimes that little boy in me still jumps out in excitement when not kept in check. Community work has kept me going through the good and also the challenging times. It has crafted me to be who I am, I suppose.

Don’t get me wrong. I am still a judgmental person. I still do size you up but the only difference is I keep my opinion to myself. Subang Jaya has been my home for almost 30 years now and the years are showing with the greying (or whitening) crown. Luckily for me, the crown remains intact.

I have grown slightly wiser but what I have developed is a sense of belonging to this community. Subang Jaya is home and it is Kita Punya. Because it is home, I have dedicated a lot of my time and energy to protecting this hub and will continue to do so for as long as I can and with likeminded residents of this community.

Like many general elections before this, communities are bound to split with different ideologies and believes. I remember when I first started SJ Echo 15 years ago, our columnist Sarawakian and I had different perspectives of politics and we split hairs at every corner. Cooler heads prevailed eventually and we agreed to disagree; but respect one another’s views. We have grown older since then and we have also become allies in pursuit of a better Subang Jaya.

Let’s Unite Subang Jaya! Trust in one another. Leave no one behind; because if you do, you might find yourself walking alone in the end.

Have a safe and fruitful month ahead.