On Saturday night, I was at the beautiful Masjid Al-Falah USJ 9 with YB Hannah Yeoh to hand over community cheques to all the mosques and suraus of Subang Jaya. In order to avoid any controversy with the Sultan of Selangor directive, the cheque handing over event was conducted in a new separate hall and only the Nazir spoke. We broke fast in the kitchen with “makan dulang” and joining us were the ever hardworking community leaders and the chairmen of the local Chinese and Hindu temples.
Last night, I was also at a buka puasa event in Block 3 Desa Mentari. This was a much more relaxed and light hearted event. The breaking of fast was done at the carpark and public space at the bottom of the flat. I joked with the residents that it is refreshing to attend a makan without having to sponsor anything. The food was very simple and good. The company was boisterous and conversations on politics, jobs and the real economy free flowing. I explained to them some of the political policies that my office was writing on wages and they came back with good suggestions.
A large percentage of the men from Block 3 worked in the assembly line at the neighbouring Panasonic factory. Halim who sat next to me explained that he started work at 17 and has been there for 30 years. These are hardworking people, rajin kerja, willing to do night shifts. A few of them were going to work on the Sunday 9 pm to 8 am shift after breaking fast. The pay is fair, the work environment is good, training is good and there is job security. Block 3 is the most successful urban poor flats in Desa Mentari.
