Bagi yang malas nak baca artikel english macam aku, tentu ramai yang terlepas pandang artikel macam kat bawah ni.
Bagi yang belum baca lagi, aku harap hangpa baca tanpa prejudis, terutama sekali kalau hangpa aktivis PR Penang.
Kalau isu macam ni boleh diselesaikan insyaallah lagi banyak DUN PR boleh menang terutama sekali Dun majoriti melayu termasuk yang calon PAS banyak bertanding.
Arshad Khan
HARAKAHDAILY EXCLUSIVE.
Spare a minute's silence mourning for this part of Penang, as our photo-journalist ARSHAD KHAN describes how people in a residential apartment setting in Seberang Perai go on with their daily lives surrounded by the most revolting sights of filth. And to know how and where they have learned such behaviour is anyone's guess, judging by a school nearby, which also calls for a minute of silence at the demise of civility, or the end of humane life, and at our failure as a nation.
Seberang Perai is part of Penang and occupies a narrow hinterland on the mainland.
FACADE ... Behind this ordinarily impressive exterior (pic above), lies the answer to our apathy
To the uninitiated, this town constitutes part of the parliamentary constituency of Permatang Pauh represented by Anwar Ibrahim. The state representative here from Barisan Nasional, who challenged Anwar during the latter's official political comeback in August 2008.
Enough for the political background. Now let us get to the more important reality.
The exterior of this residential apartments look impressive, but hidden within is the pathetic story of how Malaysians are treated everywhere when it comes to providing good and liveable housing.
To compare these pigeonhole quarters to animal housing is actually not appropriate description. Countries that built such housing boards in the sixties, more intimately Singapore, have long replaced them with better facilities, higher quality and larger ones because they managed their finance better.
These two high-rise flats are about a hundred metres away from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Prai, which is a picture of filth and a shame to the education philosophy of this country. It is highly possible a big chunk of students are from these 'flats', or whatever they call them.
DIRTY SCHOOL ... The school with all its filthy surroundings (see pic above). Also spotted is a banner (left) announcing a 'motivational programme' co-organised with the Adun
The chairman of flats' board was quite speechless when I enquired how such affairs could occur around a school. He collected himself and sadly related that what I was seeing was nothing compared to the flats at the back.
After visiting the place, I have decided to call these high rise buildings sewage tanks!
LITTER DRAIN ... Damaged, abandoned, but 'decorated'.
Why shouldn't I? 20 to 30 metres from the flats’ ground floor, I could smell human waste and urine, and thought some sewage tanks could have leaked. A bystander confirmed my suspicions; he said many sewage pipes were damaged and the discharge leaked into the courts and into corridors.
Sprays of water fell from higher floors being washed. By this time a man who claimed to be chairman of the board chipped in that when corridors are washed, water would flow down like mini showers, as there are no proper drainage.
Strange, I thought, how could the buildings be certified for human dwelling then or was it certified fit, a CF given before they were occupied.
FEE FOR FREE? ... Maintenance fee is collected and this is the result
The management collects 'maintenance' fee without maintenance. I smell something fishy; either the local council here is in cahoots with the management or the management has some powerful connections!
The man claiming to be chairman of the board said he had made complains without any response and that the ADUN, Arif Shah, had never stepped into their area. Methinks local councils and not politicians should resolve problems, though politicians could assist.
The two buildings are a picture of litter, tattered packed garbage, and kitchen refuse, leftover and small discarded materials were flung over from higher floors into the courts. Even awnings were littered.
SEWAGE RAIN ... When the sewage tanks leak, residents reap the 'reward' of the sewage aroma
Drains around the flats were damaged, some sunk, clogged with garbage and stagnant water. There was a large garbage container on the exit end but much of the garbage bags were placed outside. The perimeter fence was heaped with piles of garbage accumulated for years.
Snapping photos of the courts had to be very fast for no outsider could withstand the pong and sight. The soles of my shoes collected moist, along the pong into my car. I had to wash the soles of my shoes at a petrol kiosk, including rubber floor sheet of my car. What a way to live!
Can anyone sleep in such an environment? Well, as I have said, if one is born on garbage heaps, they do not mind continuing living there, as they have for the past many years.
A stall blocks the entrance to the residential flats
Could the residents get together and agree upon some ways to keep their compounds tidy and clean, that no one should litter?
If there are no large garbage containers, at least the residents could buy smaller ones for their flats and empty them in a corner to burn instead of throwing around. They should also refuse to pay the management.
This place is just a time bomb, some cash to the residents and they will please ‘anyone’. I am saying it many times, the politicians are redundant; the civil service is experienced enough and has good knowledge in administrating any areas so long politicians do not lay their hands.
There are countries that have progressed without political government for months with no hitches. Of course many people would say that is an utopia. But if man can think, then his thoughts can be realised.
source: http://en.harakahdaily.net
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