BENTONG – Nestled along the Titiwangsa mountain range close to the Selangor-Pahang border is Kg Janda Baik – a township in the Bentong constituency located some 50km away from Kuala Lumpur.
At an average elevation of 500m, Kg Janda Baik, with its cool climate and idyllic surroundings, has attracted tourists looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
With some of its 2,000 residents working as farmers, others run small businesses that cater to tourists, some of whom come from as far as Kelantan and Terengganu.
A drive through the winding roads will reveal dozens of homestays, glamping parks, restaurants, cafes, and cottage industries.
On the weekends, cars and tour buses line the narrow roads, ferrying visitors to and from attractions.
Despite the economic opportunities set against a picturesque backdrop, residents here hold deep-seated concerns over a number of problems that, according to them, threaten their lives and livelihoods.
Speaking to the residents, The Vibes found their primary concerns were issues related to infrastructure and flooding.
According to 23-year-old Ezat Shafie, the roads here are in a sorry state due to frequent use by heavy vehicles.
He believes that these lorries, supplying local construction sites with sand, bricks, and concrete among others, are damaging the roads.
The mountainous terrain of Kg Janda Baik is connected by two-lane paved roads. The primary thoroughfares are Jalan Sumsum Hilir, which encircles the township; and Jalan Kg Janda Baik that links to Jalan Sg Chemeroh, connecting the western and easternmost ends of the village.
“When there’s a pothole, they fix it. But then another lorry comes and…it’s a pothole again,” Ezat said, adding that when hundreds of tourists visit the area on the weekends, the traffic jams become “annoying”.
Another resident who wished to be known as Kak Zu, 43, claimed that the passing of heavy vehicles often cause burst pipes, leading to water supply disruptions in Kg Janda Baik.
“The (underground) pipe is too close to the road, and it often bursts when lorries go by...and the water supply gets cut. Sometimes twice a week.”
A native of Bentong who has been staying in Kg Janda Baik for two years, Kak Zu said she is hesitant to drive on the weekends, as there are too many cars.
Ezat and Kak Su believe that the heavy vehicles, tourists, and narrow winding roads are a recipe for disaster.
Meanwhile, the devastating floods of December 2021 remain fresh in the minds of locals.
Ezat, who works at his father’s restaurant in Kg Janda Baik, said the entire village was shocked by the severity of last year’s floods that wreaked havoc across Selangor, Pahang, and many other parts of the nation.
“I don’t know why, but it was never this bad before. I heard that it’s because of logging, but I’m not sure (if it’s true).”
Ezat goes on to explain that while areas like Bentong town experience high floodwaters that can inundate buildings, the biggest hazard in Kg Janda Baik is fast currents that “can even wash entire houses away.
While Ezat’s home and family business were spared the wrath of torrential floodwaters, the entire village suffered as visitor numbers dwindled. He said for five months between December and April, only a handful of tourists visited as “people were afraid to come”.
What are the solutions?
Echoing the concerns of Ezat and Kak Zu, Bentong parliamentary hopeful Young Syefura Othman said better infrastructure is needed not only for the tourism industry, but for the comfort of the residents.
The incumbent assemblyman for Ketari, which includes Kg Janda Baik, lamented that “people only know about Genting (Highlands), and not many people come to Bentong. We need them to come here to invigorate the local economy,” she told The Vibes during a walkabout in Kg Janda Baik.
She said tour buses must take the Genting Sempah-Janda Baik perilous route, which she described as “very dark and dangerous”.
The Dapsy deputy national chief believes that improving the infrastructure in and around Bentong will make the area more attractive for tourists while simultaneously improving the quality of life for locals.
As for the flood situation, Rara, as she is fondly known, said that the current policy is piecemeal, even though the authorities had deepened riverbeds and reinforced riverbanks after the December floods last year.
“Every time it floods, they (the government) give one-off assistance. How many times can we do that?”
With existing allocation, she believes the government must embark on a flood barrier project to resolve the issue once and for all.
Rara’s uphill battle
In the 2018 general election (GE14), Young Syefura defeated Barisan Nasional’s Lau Hoi Keong with a majority of more than 3,700 votes. Since then, she has become a familiar face in the area, often commended for her proactive and hands-on approach in addressing issues brought up by her constituents.
While most residents speak highly of Young Syefura, whether her service for Ketari – one of four state seats under the Bentong parliamentary seat – will translate to votes at a federal level remains to be seen.
Going up against Young Syefura in GE15 is former MCA president Tan Sri Liow Tiong Lai. With more than four decades in politics, Liow has held various government positions, from deputy minister of youth and sports (2006-2008), to health minister (2008-2013), and transport minister (2014-2018).
He was also Bentong MP for 19 years until 2018, when he was unseated by DAP’s Wong Tack.
Wong Tack’s long shadow
Besides a gargantuan opponent, Young Syefura must contend with the negative sentiment that locals have for the incumbent Wong.
In GE14, Wong, then a member of DAP, wrested the seat from MCA’s Tan Sri Liow Tiong Lai. Running on a pro-environment ticket with the backing of Pakatan Harapan, his win was a historic one as he became the first Bentong MP not from MCA.
In the three-cornered fight, Wong emerged victorious with a slim majority of 2,032 votes, 3% of the electorate.
He came to prominence in 2011 when he led Himpunan Hijau, an environmental movement protesting the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant, a rare earth processing plant in Gebeng, Pahang.
However, many locals claim that Wong’s service to the constituency has left much to be desired.
Ezat, the 23-year-old restaurant worker, said he has heard of Wong, but has never seen him in the constituency.
“I don’t even know what he looks like.”
In comparison, Ezat said Young Syefura is often seen in the area because “whenever there’s a problem, she shows up”.
Echoing this was another Kg Janda Baik resident named Mahaizah, 48.
“I’ve never seen him (Wong) in the area before, but YB Rara has come. She has even come to my shop,” Mahaizah told The Vibes.
Although she described Young Syefura as a hard worker, when asked if she knew Liow, Mahaizah exclaimed: “Of course I know him! I like him. He’s an old-timer. He’s good. He’s great.”
With polling day set for November 19, the battle for Bentong will see five candidates hash it out for the support of 87,058 registered voters.
Besides Liow and Young Syefura, incumbent Wong will contest as an independent. Other candidates include Perikatan Nasional’s Datuk Roslan Hassan and another independent, Achik Khalil. – The Vibes, November 11, 2022
