KUALA LUMPUR: MCA candidate for Petaling Jaya Chew Hian Tat believes green and sustainable features should be added to the area around PJ as this would not only improve and make the new and old towns in PJ look better, but also make the area a healthier and more sustainable place to live.
"Of course, these elements should complement the existing sites instead of altering them to something new so that we can preserve the natural habitat," he told the New Straits Times.
On his manifesto for the upcoming GE15, Chew, who is the MCA PJ division secretary, affirmed his support for the Barisan Nasional manifesto 'Perancangan Amal dan Usaha' or Padu, which was launched on Nov 7.
As part of his manifesto, Chew will focus on adopting the COP27 initiative which focuses on tackling climate change.
Touching on green transportation, Chew said sustainable urban transport should connect people to markets, jobs, goods, and other people while remaining environmentally friendly and safe at the same time.
He said in many cities around the world, public transport remained unsustainable, unsafe, inefficient, inaccessible or unaffordable – a situation that was particularly affecting the poor, promoting marginalisation and deepening social inequities.
"We are lucky, transportation and infrastructure in PJ are well developed but it doesn't mean that we can't improve them to provide more comfort, convenience and flexibility to PJ residents while remaining ecologically safe.
"Among the main things that need to be given attention to and we hope to address are the latest technological advancements and changes in trends in people's mobility.
"We believe it is imperative to fully harness the relevant technological advancements to create green and sustainable transportation to maintain PJ as a business-friendly city," he said.
Further, Chew, who is also the chief executive officer of Central Global Bhd, said with the rise of green transportation within the city, there was a need to set up more green electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in PJ.
"It is crucial to attain the target set for charging stations before achieving the EV targets," he said.
If elected in the upcoming GE15, Chew also aimed to set up food and traders centres in multiple areas to provide a centralised location for the promotion and conduct of trades for these businesses.
He said PJ was a known food hub to both locals and internationals alike, and it was something the residents of PJ were very proud of.
"Therefore, we believe it is also an avenue to help the community to generate income which will in turn help grow the Malaysian economy," he said.