AFTER being halted for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the dialogue session between Jalan Burma Tengah’s community and Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow was restored and held in an interactive manner recently.
The two-hour long session, which was held in Lee Sih Chong Soo, Burma Road, provided a platform for the residents to air any local issues or grievances to Chow, who is also the Padang Kota assemblyman and Tanjung MP, and his delegation.
Chow praised the Kawasan Rukun Tetangga (KRT) Jalan Burma Tengah and Teong Guan Jalan Burma Tengah for taking the initiative to organise the engagement session.
“The annual dialogue session has been halted for two years and resumed this year to ensure the residents have the opportunity to raise any local issue facing them in their neighbourhood.
“We want to get to know the problems in their neighbourhood so that immediate response can be given by the relevant authorities, who are present here to address their respective concerns.
“It is good that some of the local issues are highlighted,” Chow told some 50 residents in his opening remark at the session on July 10.
Some of the issues raised concerned traffic congestion, an abandoned swimming pool, haphazard parking in the neighbourhood, tree trimming and smart parking system.
Chow, who was flanked by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) secretary A. Rajendran, and Penang Development Corporation (PDC) Properties Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Ismail Ishak, promised to solve and improve the matters raised by them.
On the abandoned swimming pool issue, Chow said a notice would be served to the operator of the premises.
“It will become a breeding ground for mosquitoes if no action is taken,” he said.
As for the tree trimming issue, Rajendran said the council would look into the matter.
Others present were KRT Jalan Burma Tengah chairman Khaw Veon Szu and KRT Jalan Burma Tengah advisor Datuk Seri Tan Gin Soon.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Alissala Thian