SURAT LAYANG LAYANG

PERSATUAN PENDUDUK USJ 11/3

THE EFFORT OF THE AJK OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED ASSOCIATION TO SET UP AND MAINTAIN THE SECURITY SERVICES OF USJ 11/3 IS APPRECIATED. HOWEVER, THERE ARE MANY WEAKNESSES IN THE EXISTING SYSTEM.

1. FROM OCTOBER 2008 TILL FEBRUARY 2009, THE RESIDENTS HAVE YET TO RECEIVE ANY MONTHLY ACCOUNT STATEMENT OF HOW A HUGE SUM OF COLLECTION HAS BEEN SPENT.

2. THE THIRD SIGNATORY FOR THE BANKING FACILITIES OF THE ASSOCIATION SHOULD BE MADE KNOWN. INITIALLY, ONLY THE NAMES OF THE TWO PERSONS WERE MADE PUBLIC.

3. THE WEBSITE OF THE ASSOCIATION IS UNDER CENSORSHIP. ONLY EMAIL OF PRAISE AND APPRECIATION IS ACCEPTED BUT EMAIL OF CRITICISM IS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY DELETED. THIS WEBSITE IS FOR RESIDENTS – PAYING OR NON- PAYING. THE FEAR FACTOR SHOULD NOT BE USED ON NON PAYING RESIDENTS.

4. PAYING RESIDENTS SHOULD BE GIVEN MINUTES OF ANY MEETING, BE IT MEETING AMONG MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION OR BETWEEN THE AJK AND MPSJ. SOME OF THE AJK ARE PASSIVE MEMBERS. SO MANY MEMBERS DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAS ACTUALLY TRANSPIRED DURING SUCH MEETINGS.

5. THE CONSTRUCTION OF ANY INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECT SHOULD BE PUT TO VOTE AND NOT DECIDED AND FINALISED BY A MERE MINORITY. THE AJK ARE ONLY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE RESIDENTS OF USJ 11. THE AJK HAS NO AUTHORITY TO DECIDE WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING ALL PAYING RESIDENTS.

6. UNTIL TODAY, THE RESIDENTS ARE NOT OFFICIALLY INFORMED OF THE COMPANY/COMPANIES PROVIDING THE SECURITY SERVICES, THE BUILDING CONSTRUCTOR OF THE PROPOSED FENCE, THE BOOM GATES AND ALL THE OTHER PHYSICAL STURCTURES IN USJ 11/3.

7. THEREFORE, THERE IS THIS SUSPICION THAT CRONIES OF THE AJK MIGHT BE INVOLVED IN SUCH INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECT OF USJ 11/3.

8. IN TIMES OF THE CURRENT ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, 6 MONTHLY SUM OF RM50.00 SHOULD BE COLLECTED AND NOT ONE LUMP SUM EACH TIME.

9. RESIDENTS SHOULD RECEIVE AND UNDERSTAND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE USJ 11/3 BEFORE THEY EVEN DECIDE TO SIGN UP AS MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION.

THE RESIDENTS CAN AND HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO DISAGREE/AGREE TO ANY FUTURE PROJECTS ESPECIALLY IF HUGE FUNDS, TRANSPARENCY, FREEDOM OF IDEAS/OPINION CAN ONLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUTURE SUCCESS OF THE ASSOCIATION. ALL DECISION MAKING SHOULD BE THE RESIDENTS’ CHOICE AND NOT THAT OF THE AJK. IT IS DEFINITELY NOT A ‘ONE-MAN SHOW’.

SIGNED
A COWARD'S WAY OF ADDRESSING ISSUES

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Dear residents,

Please accept my humblest apologies for not being able to update the blog as regularly as I would like to. Fact of the matter is, I have been really bogged down with work. I have also missed several meetings due to my work commitment that requires me to travel a fair bit.

Anyway, excuses aside, I was informed of a ‘surat layang’ that is being circulated in the mail. I was actually waiting for it and it finally came into my mail box today. So dear residents, scream and shout all this person want, I really don’t care. But when I was turned from a “Little Napoleon” to a “Crony”, I told myself, perhaps it is time to start surfacing and to put this all to a rest.

Because this person accused us of not posting any negative comments, I have actually reproduced his/her letter in FULL Now why did you not just send it to me via email? That would have saved us some time waiting for each other and also your stamp money! And how do you know we censor the blog when you do not even know who has commented what unless you are one of those anonymous writers!? If you want it published, DECLARE who you are. Quiet criticism remains just that – QUIET!!!

Might I also remind the writer that the blog does not technically belong to the residents or anyone else. Actually, it belongs to me – yes, you heard right – me! I have volunteered my precious time to write and disseminate information to all of you so that you are kept well informed. There are also very good reasons why we do not want to publish sensitive information on the blog. For example, how much money we have collected etc.

But if you really want to know, you can always get in touch with any of us. We will be more than happy to furnish you with the information including the “cronies” who are suppliers if you so wish.

Frankly, the Committee members have been working double time, incurring additional mobile phone expenses by sms-ing all of you, spending their quality family time for meetings instead of with their families, etc but there are many people who are still ungrateful, especially the non paying ones and the ones like you who only know how to use your gab negatively.

We are all working people with a full time job. You mean to tell me, we are supposed to be doing all of this work such as typing minutes and sending it out to each and everyone? Now, how are we going to do that? Are you paying our salaries? If you want to see the minutes, it is easy. Just contact our secretary, he will be more than happy to show you all the minutes, etc.

And you talked about collection. Now why don’t you volunteer to collect for a change? Why talk as if the Committee members are so stupid that we do not know there is an economic crisis? You only know how to criticize – try doing for a change and see how practical what you have suggested is, to carry out!

It is quite ridiculous for us to collect monthly, as a lot of times, people don’t pay promptly and the Street leaders then have to ‘chase’ after the payment, making them look like regular money lenders! Ever thought about that?

I wonder what you make of this bad economic times as you have put it. It is precisely these trying times that crime has increased. I strongly believe if we did not have any of our security measures in place, we would have had high reports of crime in our area. For your information, the crime rate in our area has significantly dropped over the last few months.

You want to know about the security company? Simple, again – please get in touch with our secretary. He has all the information you need. Why complain? If you are not satisfied, you can talk to any of the guards. Get them to give you their boss’s number. Find out from him if we or they are really cronies or otherwise. Anyway, I think it is Sentral or something lah!

The construction of the fence is still in its planning stages, If you have any objection at all, please do write in and give us some valid reasons. At any rate, there are equally a great number of residents who have had good sleep in the past few months and who are more than willing to pay more than what we asked for. These residents would want the fence to be up as soon as possible.

As for the Committee members, we too pay for our fair share so do not accuse us of just spending ‘other’ people’s money – it is ours too! You have a point on the constitution – of which I will publish it on the blog for all to read and study. I have overlooked that and I do apologize.

Anyway, do you know why we take the trouble to set up the association? It was set up so as to protect you! We can very much go on as it is now but proper is proper, so no short cuts.

Do you know how much time and effort went into forming this association and the trouble that we had to go through just so that you are protected? All the seemingly endless trips to Shah Alam. And having done that, why would we want to hide the constitution? Don’t make any sense at all.

As for the banking facilities, the bank only allowed us to use 2 names as a joint account initally as it was not based on the Company or Society's Act when we first started. This was the precise reason why we had to ensure that the association was set up as quickly as possible.

We plan to now transfer all the funds from the old account into the new account which has just been set up (yes - JUST). This will be done as soon as possible. The controls are there to ensure that no payment can be made without proper approval from other Committee members. This new bank account which was registered under the Association's name requires four names to be signatories, a requirement under the constitution and that they must be office bearers. This is to ensure accountability.

I fail to see how the Committee which was formed several months ago by this group of hardworking residents who had come forward and contributed their efforts for everyone’s benefit should be accused of anything like what you have written. It is, in my mind, malicious and totally baseless!

By the way, before you write this article in your own handwriting and circulate to everyone, did you take the trouble to ask someone for information, like from the Committee members? They are contactable as their contacts and names are all published. If you have not done so, shouldn’t you be more responsible before you even start to make such false accusation?

The AGM is scheduled sometime in March 2009. All the office bearers will have to be re-elected again. With the kind of workload and responsibilities that I have – I will be more than happy to relinquish my post as Treasurer and let someone else have it - perhaps you might want it.

But I have to forewarn you - there are no rewards; there is no glamour – just a lot of hard work and no appreciation from people like you who write such nonsense and false accusations. If only you know how dedicated this team of residents who make up the present Committee are.

This very Committee who has served you tirelessly without expecting anything from you in return, is the envy of the residents from neighbouring areas. Spare a thought. Perhaps you might see things differently. But it has to start with you.

And you can avoid all these ‘bullshit’ by asking anyone of us for clarification or information. But then, what is the use? Your agenda is perhaps out to destroy everything good that has been built!

Come forward if you have what it takes - don't just blabber on something that you do not know or you have created in your head!

Jeffrey Khoo
Treasurer
11 Trees @ USJ