NEWLY elected Taman Medan assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin has started working with a think tank and several urban planning companies to identify problems plaguing his constituency and improve the quality of life there within five years. 

The Bersatu man is conducting a survey to identify problems related to maintenance, cleanliness, space, elevators, and more there.  

“By having this survey, I will be able to get the whole picture of what is going on and from there, I will prioritise issues and work with all the agencies available, either at state level, federal level, or private sector to improve the quality of life in Taman Medan,” said Afif, who is also Selangor Perikatan Nasional liaison secretary. 

In the state election held in August, Afif defeated Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Ahmad Akhir Pawan Chik by a mere 30-vote-majority. 

Taman Medan is one of three seats under the Petaling Jaya parliamentary constituency, along with Seri Setia and Bukit Gasing. PH had held the seat since 2008. 

Afif was formerly with PKR and had served two terms as Seberang Jaya assemblyman from 2013. He resigned from PKR and joined Bersatu in 2020. 

“Taman Medan is an urban melting pot. You have areas like PJ Old Town where there are bungalows, terraces, and low-density housing but you also get high-density housing like in Kampung Dato Harun and Taman Sri Manja,” Afif said. 

“I have 25,000 households to take care of with more than 85 blocks of high-rise apartments. 

“One of the biggest issues that needs attention is the quality of life. It involves various things like accessibility to education, healthcare, good public services, cleanliness, and hygiene. 

“These would be my focus for the next five years,” he added. 

To make approaching him easier, Afif said he provided residents with his personal and service centre phone numbers. 

Afif has also assigned representatives to gather public feedback and will use social media to gather more information. 

Afif said he would like to break silos among stakeholders there. 

“Breaking silos will be the first hurdle to achieve a resolution to problems,” he said. 

He added that since his election victory, he had not faced any issue with local councils or state agencies. 

“My engagement with the civil service, especially at the state level, is well-established. They are also giving full cooperation to the issues I’ve raised. This is how we should move forward as a nation. 

“Once you’re elected, you represent the people. I represent people who voted for me and those who did not vote for me. 

“For now, civil servants are maintaining their professional attitude towards me in Taman Medan – be it at district office or local council level, which is crucial in order to plan and develop Taman Medan and Petaling Jaya as a whole in the next five years,” he said. – October 5, 2023.