My Masterplan

View the full plan here:

https://plus.google.com/photos/108360732030881189350/albums/5873228590004430785?authkey=CJXZpp2umKLBJw

Serving with Integrity (VIDEO)

My manifesto for Pasir Pinji

These are the 6 points I would like to accomplish over the next 5 years to help the people in Pasir Pinji. I truly hope you will read over it and grant me your vote this coming election.

Candidate confident of community bus services for lower income group
by Ivan Loh & Cheryl Hew

FREE bus rides to and from 11 destinations including popular spots in Ipoh has been pledged for the benefit of Pasir Pinji residents.

The promised services, with passengers from the lower income group, especially the elderly in mind, is expected to cost between RM12,000 and RM15,000 a month.

The community bus service is among six programmes pledged by Barisan Nasional’s Pasir Pinji state seat candidate Datuk Thong Fah Chong on Tuesday.

It comes under his master plan themed ‘Help me make Pasir Pinji a community for you’.

Thong said he was confident of getting the necessary approvals from the authorities and funding to get the service running.

“I believe I can get funding from some big companies if I get the mandate from the people.

“I have friends from a lot of places including big companies.

“I have put a lot of thought into this. The bus can take people, especially the poor and old folks, around to run their errands, like buying groceries, going for medical check-up and for shopping ,” he said.

Among the 11 stops include the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital, Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) and the Ipoh Parade shopping centre.

A quick look: Thong (left) showing his manifesto to the people of Pasir Pinji to improve their basic necessity.

In an immediate response to the free rides, poultry trader Choong Chun Yee believed it could also benefit businesses in the areas included in the bus route.

“I heard some customers have stopped going to the Pasir Puteh wet market because of difficulties in finding a parking lot there,” he said when told that the market was one of the stops.

Nevertheless, Choong pointed out that the bus service must be regular to see the effects.

Some customers have stopped going to the Pasir Puteh wet market because of ifficulties in finding a parking lot there. — CHOONG CHUN YEE

While housewife Yee Mee Leng, 40, said she might not need the free rides, she nevertheless concurred that it would be of help to the poor.

“Small things like saving a few ringgit on transport can make a big difference when cost of living keeps going up,” she added.

The proposed free rides also earned praises from Looi Kam Fatt who described it as a convenient and people-friendly programme.

The 54-year-old contractor from Taman Shatin said the route catered to almost everybody.

Student Chai Hui Fan, 23, nevertheless pointed out that the free rides must come with comfortable and a proper schedule, or it would not make any difference from the existing bus service.

Labourer M. Devaraj, 33, believed that the service would have a direct impact on the people who benefited from it.

The other five programmes under Thong’s master plan included the setting up of a:

·Job Centre for those seeking employment or need training;

·Community Centre for old folks where activities ranging from recreational, health checks are held, and a place to seek help in dealing with government agencies;

·Youth Centre to provide technical skills training, basic knowledge on starting a business, information on internship with the government and private sectors, and sports and recreational activities;

l Hotline to take care of emergency cases and also steps to improve public amenities and security, and

·Providing financial assistance to the needy.

There are 27,701 voters in the Pasir Pinji state seat, and Thong, 56, is locked in a straight fight with DAP’s Howard Lee Chua How for the seat on May 5.

Wishing You a Happy & Prosperous Chinese New Year!

This year's Chinese New Year was a relatively low-key one for me and my family. I enjoyed spending time with family that were back in Ipoh for the celebrations, we had the usual family reunion on the night before Chinese New Year, the lion dance troupe came by the following day (very popular among kids and neighbors) and the festivities at home never ends. I also attended some open houses during this time, one of which was the MB's open house.

Here's the MCA Ipoh Timur team with the Menteri Besar at his open house. 

While Chinese New Year was a relatively relaxing time spent with family, the two weeks before Chinese New Year was a busy one for us. We were busy packing and distributing red bags, compliments of the Prime Minister, Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak to residence in and around Ipoh Timur area. We went house-to-house to deliver these goodies and to wish everyone a Happy Chinese New Year.

A red bag that contained mandarin oranges, groundnuts, sweets and tea.

Going house-to-house to give out bags. 

Giving out red bags at recreational parks. 

Reaching high over their fences.

Look at the strong women carrying the bags. 

Residences come out to collect their bags. 

Wishing everyone a Happy Chinese New Year! Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Distributing 2013 calendars with Emergency Contact Information

As we say good-bye to 2012 and welcome 2013, it is a time for reflection but also a time for goal setting for the year ahead. My slogan for this year is:

"Serve with integrity, Strive for a Safer Community, Secure a Malaysia where all can prosper."

We distributed over 10,000 copies of the calendars at different places with the help of MCA Ipoh Timur team members. It was a great meet and greet opportunity with individuals and a time tackle some of their immediate concerns. We took notes, solved immediate problems and helped them file reports on others. The calendars included contact information of the Ipoh Timur service centre where they could reach me and my team. But also other essential contact information in the case of an emergency.

Hospital Besar Ipoh: 05-2533333
Bomba: 05-5474444 / 5474994
Ipoh Police Central: 05-2401999
Pasir Puteh Police Station: 05-3212222
Pasir Pinji Police Station: 05-3210478
Sungai Senam Police Station: 05-5477322
Tenaga Nasional Berhad: 05-2532000
Ipoh City Council (Complains): 05-2551515 / 05-2083333

Here's to wishing you and your family a very happy and prosperous new year!

This was the 2013 calendar.

Our team distributing calendars at the market. 

This is also where we hear about concerns from the people.

They looked pleased with the calendars. 

End of flooding problems in Taman Kampar

During the monsoon season every year, I often get calls from residence with problems regarding flooding within a specific area. I often hurry over to give immediate assistance, but it is important that we look into long term solutions that can rectify these problems once and for all. We need to strive for better city planning as there are consequences to constantly building new constructions without proper drainage systems. The consequences are real, they are a person's home and livelihood. Worst still, the people that are always affected are individuals that come from low-income communities. This means they often do not have the budget to be able to fix their homes. Not to mention, when your entire home is flooded for days, it affects you for an entire week. Residence can't go to work, open their businesses, or send their kids to school. We need the city council to work together with developers to ensure that proper retention systems are submitted with the construction proposal. I have always played my part in facilitating conversations and getting developers to solve these problems. In this case, we were able to get the developer to agree to build a retention pond that will improve the drainage system for residence of Taman Kampar. I am glad residence in Taman Kampar will no longer have to worry everytime a flashflood occurs.

Speaking with a resident of Taman Kinta at the flood site. 

Picture from the other side of the street. 

******

Published on the Star Newspaper on November 14th, 2012. 

Seeing brighter days without high waters by Ivan Loh

"PEACEFUL days without flashfloods could become a reality for Taman Kampar residents.

Following talks between the developer of the housing project in Ipoh, the Ipoh City Council and Ipoh Timur MCA division chief Datuk Thong Fah Chong, it was agreed that a retention pond would be constructed to tackle the problem of flashfloods which has plagued residents for years.

The division’s deputy chief, San Chak Chun told The Star that following the Nov 2 meeting, the developer had agreed to construct a retention pond at an open field to take in additional discharge from the drainage system in the housing area.

“The pond will measure 5,903 sqm by 1m-deep.

“The developer has also agreed in principal to bear the cost of construction while the council will monitor the project,” he said.

According to San, the developer had failed to observe the regulation and guideline set by Manual Saliran Mesra Alam Malaysia (MASMA), which specifically states that there should be zero discharge into public drainage at peak hour in any development.

“Although the developer had constructed an internal retention system underground, it did not function properly.

“The problem is also compounded by the various developments, which have taken place nearby Taman Kampar,” he said.

Thong said the problem of flashfloods in Taman Kampar was getting more serious.

“The housing area was hit by a severe flashflood on Oct 25 with about 16 houses, which were never affected previously, also being inundated with flood waters.

“The residents are very concerned that other areas are also being affected,” Thong said, adding that developers should never forget their corporate social responsibility towards housebuyers.

“They must assist those who face problems as a result of their projects,” he said.

Thong added that the MCA would continue to monitor the situation at Taman Kampar and give its assistance in any way it could."

Wishing You a Happy and Prosperous New Year!