By Sarawakian
We have completed the 1st quarter of the year 2026 and with 9 more months to go, Subang Jaya is seeing an increase in temperature. It is getting hot. The heat is on!
Let us see how the fryer goes and if the oil is heading for an optimum crisp. Subang Jaya is abuzz with a sudden surge in the presence of the incumbent ADUN and the nominated councilors heading to the ground with media tactics. The social media and digital realms have a sudden surge in use by them.
What is conspicuously missing is the voice of the Mayor or Datuk Bandar as well as the enforcement agencies within MBSJ. One wonders why. It would be good if SJ Echo encouraged them to be in the limelight as well. Perhaps they can also learn how to play with social media and digital media better. This makes it more fun for us folks in Subang Jaya.
The prices for diesel and petrol have increased due to the middle east crisis affecting the airspace and the shipping lines at the straits of Hormuz. The RON95 is still priced at RM3.87 per liter at this time of writing with the BUDI subsidy for Malaysians dropping the pump price to RM1.99 per litre.
However, the quota per month has dropped to 200 litres versus 300 litres. As of April 2 2026, the diesel and RON97 have increased to RM6.02 and RM4.95 per litre, respectively. Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan still enjoy subsidized diesel at RM2.15 a litre.
Let us get back to Subang Jaya. Discussions are getting exciting on the topics of SS15 alley ways, rats, hygiene and landscaping. The same could be said for the topics of the road conditions and the traffic snarls around Subang Jaya. Not far behind would be the discussions on bus stops, pedestrian friendly walkways, the bus stops and last mile connection. Two exciting new entrants to the menu are the discussions about bicycle lanes and the e-scooter usage.
Let us look at these interesting topics one by one. First up, SS15. This place has been at the target sight for so long yet no one previously since 2018 post Hannah and her councilors cared about SS15. We do not need to even talk about SS14 and Taipan in USJ10. Only these few months saw some active engagement with the 2nd term incumbent ADUN and the councilors.
Do not forget, the councilors are all nominated positions for TWO YEARS by POLITICAL PARTIES and by the SELANGOR GOVERNMENT. Hence, there is enough power to ensure works are being done as the SELANGOR GOVERNMENT political party make up is inclusive of the incumbent ADUN and the nominated councilors. Here is the website link:
https://portal.mbsj.gov.my/ms/info-korporat/info-pengurusan/ahli-majlis2026
There are rat catching campaigns yet again in SS15 and some progress against errant shophouses who care less about hygiene and waste disposals. Let us hope the momentum is increased and not winded down and forgotten like the past. The drains are still an issue of being fixed to ensure proper water flow.
There is a need to review some dumb designs where the food exhaust duct leads into a covered drain. We wonder which law in the building by law allows this. As for the back lanes? These stay seriously horrible, especially those managed by SJ UPTOWN! If I read correctly, this space was leased out to be managed privately. If so, the contract should be reviewed and better still, taken back to be managed by MBSJ!
We have a roller coaster road or two in Subang Jaya too. The “best” ones are seen at Persiaran Subang and even several Taman roads. The road resurfacing really needs a strategy in Subang Jaya. Lighted and functional Bus stops (with strict bus schedules) and pedestrian friendly walkways which take consideration of an ageing population and even families with strollers are still not put much heart into.
The width and connectivity of the walkways to bus stops, LRT stations, residential and commercial areas are deplorable. The crossings are not safe. The pedestrian bridges are not physically challenged friendly either. The last mile connectivity with shuttle buses to LRT stations, schools, residential and commercial areas are not well planned nor made aware of.
Let us now dive into the banter concerning the bicycle lanes and e-scooters. The latter is being touted as a solution for mobility. The former is being praised for the provision of a safe lane for cyclists. As far as I am concerned, I do not care who uses them. As long you are a responsible human being. The problem is this. Are the solutions proposed safe?
The bicycle lanes now have safety flexible poles to demarcate the lanes for bicycle use. The problem? They cut the space from an existing car lane! Instead of widening the space into the road shoulder or reducing lanes by converting a whole lane (which I doubt they would do).
Cars would be the first to have problems with this. Motorcycles would gleefully share this space with bicycles. Are these with road safety elements for night riding and proper signage? No. Who is happy about this? Your guess is as good as mine as some people seem to take pride in such haphazard separuh masak work.
Next up. We have now got e-scooters as a pilot project. A beautiful project they say. One which many of us who have walked Kuala Lumpur would have known and seen, how the e-scooters and e-bikes get left everywhere like toys left by kids all over the place. An added eyesore and an added work for the local government to manage? Is this safe? No. Where are these e-scooters going to be good for micro mobility with our road conditions and non-existent safe pathways? Putting this sandbox to trial is akin to putting sand in your rice to eat!
My other two pet peeves are the cutting down of healthy-looking trees and making Subang Jaya BOTAK! What green living is this government talking about? The last one is the new street lighting project which MBSJ is eagerly pursuing. The old ones are being taken down and those are not faulty. I wonder why? Are these new poles going to be brighter? If so, why the same number of poles? Are these solar powered? If so, does it really require a change of pole versus putting up a solar cell then?
The heat is on in Subang Jaya. It is time to start the fryer and cook up some fried delicacies. Patience has thinned. Subang Jaya. Are we happy with what is going on? Stop being blind supporters. Otherwise, you are no better than a hypocrite.
