Still mired in poverty – 52 years later

By Patrick Lee - Free Malaysia Today,

FMT FOCUS BUKIT BERUNTUNG: Time in Kampung Kandang Lembu, near here, seems to stand still. Step into the village, and life there is still mired in poverty.
Ask Vasugi Singaram. She has lived in the village for more than 52 years and she never had access to even the most basic of amenities like electricity. She only gets intermittent supply of water.
"I have raised the matter [to the government] since 1982, but to this day I have never been given any electricity," said Vasugi, who has been forced to rely on coconut oil and candles for her lighting.
The only way in or out of Kampung Kandang Lembu is through a rusty bridge, located just behind the Taman Bukit Teratai housing estate.
Many of the houses in the village are abandoned and are in danger of collapse. Only three of them are occupied. It is a far cry from a nearby housing estate, which not only has regular access to water and electricity, but also satellite television.
As if to add insult to injury, two fire hydrants in the vicinity are open, pumping out a steady stream of water.
"There was a pipe installed here about a month ago, connected to a nearby river," said Perumal
Empty tap
Govindasamy, the village head of nearby Kampung Koskan. "A few days ago, however, that too has been cut," pointing to an empty tap near Vasugi's house.
In the past, Vasugi was advised by the local authorities to vacate her home and move elsewhere. However, she was not given any assistance when it came to relocation.
Although Vasugi has children who work in nearby towns, she laments that none of them have given her any help. She is forced to rely on merloh, banana and coconut trees around her house as her only source of income. Earning about RM150 a month, it is a hard life, especially when she has a few grandchildren to feed.
"During the [Hulu Selangor] by-election, we received a visit from [MP] P Kamalanathan, who told us that our needs would be met, and that everything would be taken care of," said Vasugi. Since then, there has been no word from the MP. "I used to have water, but now I don't."
"We love the BN government, but how can we keep on loving it when they treat us like this?"
Attempts to contact Kamalanathan yesterday have been unsuccessful due to the MP's busy schedule.