Facelift tops agenda for Ipoh’s First Garden

THE First Garden commercial area in Ipoh, Perak, is set for a transformation, thanks to several ongoing and planned projects.

The area under the Jelapang constituency is undergoing a five-phase development, which assemblyman Cheah Pou Hian termed “a micro project”.

Cheah said under phase one that began in December, residential and commercial areas in First Garden were given rubbish bins.

He said Ipoh City Council (MBI) provided 2,562 bins to residential areas.

Cheah looking at a signboard indicating the roof replacement at First Garden flats.

Using his allocation, Cheah gave 121 bins to commercial areas.

He said the distribution of the bins were aimed at reducing illegal dumpsites and inculcating proper waste disposal practices.

“Three CCTVs have also been installed at the commercial area.

“This year, there are plans to instal more CCTVs at hotspot areas to deter littering,” said the second-term assemblyman from DAP.

For phase two, he said MBI had several plans to ease traffic congestion and reduce accidents at the commercial area.

Cheah said the public, including residents and shop owners, had been complaining to the council, councillors and him about traffic jams, parking issues and accidents.

MBI had come up with several solutions, including making certain roads one-way and constructing a mini roundabout.

To ease traffic congestion, three roads, namely Lorong Taman 9, Lorong 10 and Lorong Taman 11, will be made one-way.

“This will also create more space for parking bays. Work will start after the Chinese New Year period, in phases.”

The city council had recently said that the project would cost about RM100,000 using the assemblyman’s constituency funds.

The works would include construction of new kerbs, dividers, a small roundabout, new road signs, and more parking bays.

The First Garden food court is due for a makeover. — Photos: RONNIE CHIN/The Star

Under phase three, Cheah said MBI planned to upgrade First Garden food court, which is in a deplorable state.

He said the food court was old with facilities in poor condition and unnecessary structures cluttering the area.

Cheah said about RM1mil would be needed to fund the makeover.

He is hoping that the refurbishment could start by this year or 2025.

“Some of the chairs and tables at the food court are damaged.

“There is not enough parking and there is an unused building within the area that could be demolished to make way for more parking.

Cheah said he wanted to see the commercial area cleaned up with more modern facilities to make it vibrant again.

Under phase four, Cheah said the recreational park located opposite the commercial area would be upgraded.

He said in 2018, he had resurfaced the jogging track, added outdoor exercise equipment and fixed the lighting.

The jogging track has been resurfaced and outdoor exercise equipment installed at the recreational park.

“Now there are plans to have proper landscaping at the lily pond that hasn’t been maintained.

“I will discuss with the council’s landscape department to see what can be done.

“The area surrounding the pond has a lot of bushes.

“I will also get their advice on what further improvements could be carried out.

“I want to attract more people to the park.

“The pond has beautiful lilies and if maintained properly, this place could become a scenic attraction.”

As for phase five, Cheah said a project at the First Garden’s low-cost flats had been ongoing since 2018.

He said he had been told not to waste his time, effort and allocation on the flats because many politicians had tried before but nothing came out of it.

However Cheah said since 2018, he had made a number of improvements, including conducting a massive gotong-royong to clean up the area.

Cheah inspecting a waste disposal area at First Garden flats.

During his first term as an assemblyman, Cheah said he managed to resolve issues concerning outsiders dumping rubbish at the compound of the flats.

“Fencing was installed and new roll-on-roll-off (roro) bins were provided.

“This was done to prevent outsiders such as hawkers and non-residents from throwing rubbish there.

“The place is now a lot cleaner compared to previous years.”

He said a RM1.82mil allocation from the Housing and Local Government Ministry was used for the installation of new roofing for the flats, which was completed last year.

Cheah said a majority of empty units had been thoroughly cleaned.

He said last September, an operation was launched to locate over 200 owners of the units to find out what they wanted to do with their properties.

There are 282 units at the four blocks but only about 30 units are occupied, some by owners, but mostly by tenants.

“Some of the abandoned units were being used by drug users and other dubious characters.

“When we started cleaning all the empty units late last year, they left.

“We are still trying to locate the owners. Most owe money to various utility agencies.”

Cheah said Perak Housing and Real Estate Board (LPHP) had visited the flats last month.

“I have suggested that LPHP buy over empty units if the owners are willing to sell.

“This would help solve a lot of problems as LPHP could rent out the units to the poor,” he said.

He said there were also plans to upgrade Jelapang wet market.

He said the market structure had rusted, the roof needed replacing and the floor and stall repaired.

The market has a rusted structure while the roof, floor and stalls are in need of repair.

“I will be requesting for an allocation from the ministry soon to upgrade the market.”

As for Jelapang Chinese new village, he said an application was made to MBI to hand over the management of the community hall to the Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK).

He said the application had been approved with several conditions.

“Once the community hall is officially managed by JPKK, I will be requesting for an allocation from the ministry to conduct repairs.

“There is a need for a fence around the community hall area.

“The badminton court inside the hall has not been maintained.

“It could be upgraded and the hall, once repaired, could be used to hold events such as weddings and dinners.”

He said the basketball court situated outside the hall could also be upgraded.

Cheah also said empty land near the hall could be turned into a recreational park with an application to the land office.

The community hall at the Jelapang Chinese New Village is in need of an upgrade.

Cheah said his team had also started a gotong-royong exercise at the new village.

“Access to several village roads have been blocked after villagers turned them into mini orchards – I am trying to restore them to proper roads.

“The drainage system at the village will also be upgraded and repaired.

“I want to make the village vibrant so that it will be appreciated by the younger generation and people will return often to visit their parents.”

Cheah said his team members were also educating villagers on proper waste disposal to prevent illegal dumping.

He has also been visiting small and medium enterprises in his constituency to get them to upgrade.

He said there were five industrial areas where SMEs were located in his constituency and he had also surveyed SMEs in three areas.

“Our survey includes problems these SMEs are facing and how the government can help them.

“I will try my best to see how the government can assist them.

“I advised them to upgrade their technology to reduce costs and not depend too much on foreign workers,” he said.