DEBUTANT V.K.K. Rajasekaran Teagarajan of youth-based party Muda is hoping to wrest the Bukit Gasing seat from Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the August 12 elections.

The DAP stronghold is witnessing a three-cornered battle of Indian candidates, with “underdog” Rajasekaran optimistic of unseating incumbent and favourite Rajiv Rishyakaran and defeating Nallan Dhanabalan of Perikatan Nasional.  

Rajasekaran, 44, who is an entrepreneur and a resident of Bukit Gasing for the past 20 years, is convinced that his plans for the constituency will draw him enough votes for victory.

“The title of underdog can be used here. It’s the contest between David and Goliath, but I’m not perturbed because he’s (Rajiv) a two-term assemblyman,” Rajasekaran told The Malaysian Insight.

“We (Muda) are giving the people a choice to be their voice because that is what they are lacking.

“We are here as an alternative, if you’re not happy. Muda will be playing the role of providing checks and balances.”

Rajasekaran is the second of four children to prominent businessman V.K.K. Teagarajan and Indrani Teagarajan.

Rajasekaran, who holds a Masters in Business Administration from Monash Business School in Australia, is the deputy president of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

With Muda deciding to be the “third force” in the polls, Rajasekaran pledged to be the voice of Bukit Gasing folk at the state assembly if he wins.

Muda will be partnering Parti Sosialis Malaysia for the polls.

Prior to this, 18-month-old Muda had worked with PH in facing the Johor polls and last year’s general election.

After the November polls, Muda continued to back the PH-led unity government and hoped to be accepted into the coalition. That has not materialised.

Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the party decided to go solo after PH and the unity government failed to deliver on the promised reforms.

Plans for Bukit Gasing

Bukit Gasing is predominantly a Chinese constituency. It has several higher education institutions and factories, providing a good mix of age group of voters.  

Rajasekaran said he would be championing three agendas if he is given the mandate by the voters.

“Firstly, to rejuvenate the younger generation by having a startup hub, and allow for more businesses to be set up in Petaling Jaya itself,” he said.  

“Secondly, to provide aged-care-friendly facilities in all neighbourhoods, so that they can appreciate the quality of life.

“And thirdly, we are looking at a referendum proposal so that the state government takes the views of all stakeholders seriously. This is where the local council elections come in.”

Rajasekaran said he would also work to have proper urban planning for Bukit Gasing to ensure the local council and developers do not bulldoze through projects.

Taking a dig at the now-scrapped Petaling Jaya Dispersal (PJD) Link expressway, he said the state government should have made an assessment before approving the project.

He said there should be a holistic and inclusive approach to tackling issues plaguing the people.

“We want to come up with solutions to the problems plaguing society. We don’t want quick fixes,” he said.

“For example, what Bukit Gasing needs is not more development projects or highways that run in front of people’s homes.

“Bukit Gasing needs proper last-mile connectivity. We have LRT and MRT lines that run through this area, but how do the residents get to the stations?

“This is where we have to consider providing bus services or have bicycle lanes.”

He said as part of urban planning, he would ensure that every project in the constituency goes through a proper process.

“The planning for Bukit Gasing will be transparent and inclusive,” he said.

“We will present the proposals to the people. We must allow them to have their say rather than just bulldozing them through.

Rajasekaran said he would also embark on an urban farming project in the constituency.

He said urban farming had become an integral part of human life, given the concerns over rising prices of goods.

He said there are tracts of idle land in the constituency that can be used for community activities.

Permanent stop to PJD Link

The controversial PJD Link project, approved by the previous federal government under Ismail Sabri Yaakob in April last year, was cancelled on Monday by caretaker Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari.

The PJD Link was to be a 25.4km dual carriageway starting after the New Klang Valley Expressway toll plaza on the Sprint Highway in Damansara and ending at the Bukit Jalil Highway interchange.

The project was planned to ease traffic congestion and cater for future growth in the Klang Valley. The developer signed a concession agreement with the government on April 5 last year.

Rajasekaran, who questioned the timing of the cancellation, said the project should be shelved for good.

“The residents have been opposing the project for years, but the state government conveniently decided to cancel it just before the state elections,” he said.

“Now, we have to be vigilant because let’s not forget that the PJD Link is a rebranded version of the Kinrara Damansara Expressway, which was shelved in 2015, after it failed to meet certain requirements.

“They could bring back the project under a new name. So we have to ensure that this does not happen. For that, the residents’ voice must be heard in the state assembly, and they need someone to represent them.”

Amirudin has reportedly said the PJD Link project might be revived if its developer fulfils the requirements set by the state.

“If they can fulfil the conditions set by the state and appease the people, we can continue with it,” he told reporters on Monday night after launching the unity government’s Selangor manifesto. – August 5, 2023.