SHAH ALAM, June 8 — Despite its mature urban landscape and high property values, Kampung Tunku is not immune to the challenges of urban poverty, which often remain hidden from public view.
Its state assemblyman Lim Yi Wei said that some residents who appear financially comfortable are in fact struggling due to sudden changes in their family or financial circumstances.
There are residents living in expensive homes who nonetheless face financial hardship when the primary breadwinner falls ill, passes away, or a divorce occurs.
“Kampung Tunku is not exempt from the issue of urban poverty, where many residents possess assets but do not have sufficient disposable income when faced with certain life situations.
“We work closely with residents’ associations and non-governmental organisations to identify these families and help them apply for the assistance they are entitled to receive,” she said during a recent episode of 'SKOP' produced by Media Selangor.
Lim's current focus is on 'working families', a group that often misses out on assistance programmes because they have limited time to visit service centres or participate in community activities.
Among the initiatives that have provided significant relief to Kampung Tunku residents is the Jualan Ehsan Rahmah programme, which consistently receives strong public support as part of efforts to ease the burden of rising living costs.
The constituency has a predominantly Chinese electorate, comprising 72.5 per cent of voters, followed by Malays at 15 per cent, Indians at 10.1 per cent, and others at 2.5 per cent.
In 2023, Lim, representing DAP, secured a landslide victory for a second term with a majority of 30,273 votes.
Preparing for a growing elderly population
Kampung Tunku is also facing the challenges of an ageing urban population, particularly as it has one of the highest proportions of senior citizens in Selangor.
She added that various initiatives are underway in collaboration with the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) to upgrade public facilities and make them more age-friendly.
“Malaysia is still not truly prepared for an ageing society, and one of the concerns is that the overall health condition of many senior citizens is not particularly encouraging,” Lim said.
She noted that efforts to cultivate healthy lifestyles must begin earlier in life and should not focus solely on health screening programmes. They should also include infrastructure improvements and digital literacy classes to help older people adapt to technological developments.
“They are taught how to use WhatsApp, make parking payments, book Grab rides, and manage hospital appointments. We want senior citizens to feel included and remain active members of the community,” Lim said.
In 2023, Selangor recorded approximately 822,000 senior citizens, representing 11.4 per cent of the state’s population.
According to state government data, Selangor is home to around 869,600 residents aged 60 and above, with more than 418,799 registered under the Skim Mesra Usia Emas.
