May 10 2008
Interview with Kulasegaran MP Ipoh Barat
KNOW YOUR MPs: Constituents’ welfare comes first for Kula
By : P. Chandra Sagaran
source
IPOH: Solving local issues affecting the people is not exactly the job of a member of parliament but M. Kulasegaran, MP for Ipoh Barat, still demands solutions from the authorities so as not to let his constituents down.
The second-term MP said if councillors and local councils had done their job well, people would not bring their problems to the elected representatives. “This is why we are planning to appoint 30 per cent of councillors from a diverse section of the community including professionals and those who who can discharge their duties effectively.”
Among the issues brought to his attention are related to squatters, uncut grass, poor rubbish collection, clogged drains and flooding.
In the March 8 general election, Kulasegaran retained the seat with a bigger majority of 15,534, defeating MCA’s Datuk Yik Phooi Hong against a majority of 598 votes in the 2004 polls. His DAP colleagues, Sum Cheong Leng, Loke Chee Yan and A. Siva Subramaniam are the state representatives for Bercham, Kepayang and Buntong respectively. Kulasegaran said they would work as a team to solve problems.
On serving and meeting the people, he said: “Since 2004 I have set up four service centres and will open one more to meet the needs of the residents. “I make it a point to visit two markets on weekends every week to hear from people who come from the lower middle class and lower income groups.” A secretary follows him to take down notes and particulars of complainants.
Apart from the visits, Kula, as he is popularly known among the people, takes time to attend marriages and other events including funerals. “I would be surprised if I am not invited to a function in my constituency.”
The DAP national vice-chairman and Perak deputy chairman also hoped that the Ipoh Land Office currently located in Manjoi would be shifted to its original building in the city centre. When the office was shifted last year, there was an uproar because of poor public transport service there.
Another item on his wish list is for another Chinese school to be built in Bercham to complement the present SJK (C) Bercham which is crowded with an enrolment of 3,300 pupils. “We have identified a 2ha site for the construction of the school.”
Kulasegaran, a lawyer, is married to G. Jayaletchumi and they have a son and a daughter.
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