EDITORIAL: WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE HAD A TOWN HALL?

When was the last time Subang Jaya had a town hall meeting that was truly open to everyone? A session where residents could walk in, speak up, and be heard without having to submit questions in advance or navigate through layers of bureaucracy?

It’s been a while. And that silence says a lot.

A town hall, by definition, is supposed to be a space for open dialogue where local authorities meet face-to-face with the people they serve. It’s not just about airing grievances; it’s about building trust, transparency, and shared ownership of the community we all live in. It’s where problems find solutions, and ideas turn into action.

In Subang Jaya, we pride ourselves on being one of the most progressive, vocal, and engaged townships in the country. Yet, how often do residents get the chance to question, challenge, or collaborate directly with their elected representatives, local council officers, and enforcement teams in the same room?

The last town halls we had were organised by Subang MP Wong Chen in November 2024 – one in SS15 and another in USJ1. There’s been no such session organised by the ADUN Subang Jaya’s office.

Without regular town hall meetings, communication breaks down. Issues pile up – uncollected rubbish, traffic congestion, safety concerns, development projects, flooding, the ever-growing rat menace and residents are left guessing if anyone is actually listening. Online complaints and WhatsApp messages can only go so far. Nothing replaces a real conversation in person.

It’s time to bring back the town hall not as a formality, but as a commitment. A commitment to transparency, accountability, and community partnership. When leaders make time to listen, and residents make time to show up, that’s when real progress begins.

So, here’s a challenge: When will Subang Jaya hold its next town hall? And when it happens, will you be there?

Time to Learn from Others

In October, I made a day trip to Melaka for some charity work. After attending to it, I stopped by a local eatery for lunch. What immediately struck me wasn’t the food. It was how clean everything was. The corridors were spotless. Not a piece of litter in sight.

Then I saw the rubbish bins. Lined up neatly by the roadside, right in front of the shops – large, sturdy, and clean. Yes, clean rubbish bins. No spillovers, no leachate, and not a single extra garbage bag dumped beside them. The street itself? Pristine.

It made me think about the state of our own back lanes and bins in Subang Jaya. The comparison isn’t flattering. Here, bins are often filthy, overflowing, or tucked away out of sight in the back lanes – as if hiding the problem makes it go away. Shopowners rarely take ownership, and enforcement appears almost non-existent.

In Melaka, the rule is simple and effective. Bins in front of shops, visible to everyone. That visibility drives accountability. No business owner would want to welcome customers with a stinking, overflowing bin at their doorstep.

Subang Jaya should stop talking about “cleanliness campaigns” and start learning from those who are doing it right. We don’t need to send councillors on outstation or overseas study trips to learn how to keep a city clean. Just send them down to Melaka. Observe, take notes, and implement.

Clean streets don’t happen by chance. They happen when rules are enforced, responsibilities are clear, and civic pride is cultivated. It’s time Subang Jaya stops making excuses and starts cleaning up its act.

Have a good November ahead folks!