» HE walks around the neighbourhood like a self-employed sheriff who wants to keep law and order. He makes press statements at the drop of a hat on everything and anything, even if unrelated to his position. He flies overseas for strategic meetings with cronies and politician sseeking office – everything paid-for so that he can return and influence residents on which way they should vote. Wearing these hats, he claims to speak for residents, but when there’s development nearby, he gives his whole-hearted blessings without consulting the affected parties. There is a bus-stop in front ofhis house which fronts a row ofshops. It is a convenient drop-off point from where people stop and go about their chores. But no, too many residents are using the entrance to his house to congregate. So, what does he do? He uses his position and influence and the bus-stop is moved to the front of someone else’s house. He transferred his inconvenience on the basic principle of the “notin my backyard syndrome”. He’s the president of a residents’ association in the city.
» SHE struts around expecting to be addressed with a prefix before her name. There’s a new development nearby but it does not affect her or her neighbours. Another group which is directly affected by impending development makes aprotest. A meeting is fixed for the aggrieved residents with the authorities. She turns up but notto support opposition to the project. She wants a community centre-cum clubbeing built nearby to be made exclusive to members of the residents’ association which she heads. Most of the houses in her taman cost more than RM1.
» HE’s leading a campaign to stop development in the neighbourhood. He’s been quoted extensively in the newspapers and has even appeared ontelevision. The other cap that he wears happens to be hundreds of kilometres away – where he’s the spokesperson and co-ordinator or middleman for a project that will see the end of one of the country’s basic requirements. He tells all and sundry of his supposed close links to important Datuks and Tan Sris. He passes judgment on journalists who do not support his cause – the development of his neighbourhood – and yet abhorsthe scribes who say the country’s well-being is being sacrificed for the benefit of cronies who want to make money. And shouldn’t the principle of “If you live in a glasshouse, do not throw stones” apply?
» Another passes himself as a man of distinction whose services to the country and sports are something which should be remembered. Yet, a company inwhich he has interests submitted a plan to take over a playing field and a clubhouse which the residents had been using for 50 years. His argument was that no title was issued as to ownership of that open space and that he was entitled to grab it for high-rise buildings. The residents protested and he invited the key person leading the protest for a chat. His offer– drop your campaign and we’ll give you three apartments in the new development. The offer was refused. Having dealt with people’s problems for three decades and more, it’s easy to detect the genuine do-gooders from the fake. The above seek to illustrate the real world we are living in– people who genuinely want to work for a better community and those with selfish interests and ulterior motives. Sometimes, out of sheer ignorance and naivety, we entrust our interests to one or two individuals, whom we see as the last bastion of the community or the neighbourhood. Besides, in this newfound world of materialistic interests, we get involved in the rat race, finding or having difficulty in making time for issues that affect us and fellow citizens. We tend to leave problems in the hands of
wakil rakyat, his representative or someone we regard as a “community leader” whom many see as saviours who can cure all society’s ills. You have to fight your own battles. If you leave it to others, there’s always a risk that your interests could be sold for a fistful of ringgit or other forms of inducement. Thus, let’s pay a tribute to the leaders of the community in Bandar Mahkota Cheras who braved thugs to demand and be entitled to what they deserved. They did not leave it to the wakil rakyat or his representative, but got personally involved in something that is close to their hearts. This is not a matter of residents being caught in the crossfire between two developers – the one who is building the highway and the one who built the houses. On the contrary, these two are secondary players as those most affected are the residents themselves.
R. Nadeswaran
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