By Nasuha Badrul Huzaini
ANYONE visiting Balakong today would not guess that just 30 years ago, it was a cowboy town surrounded by rubber plantations. Located in the south of Cheras, the rapidly expanding township is now bustling with malls and a vibrant food and beverage industry that serve its mix of urban and village communities.
With over 62,000 registered voters, Balakong has chosen Wong Siew Ki to represent its voice. Selangor Journal reaches out to Wong to find out more about the potential of this industrial gem.
Selangor Journal (SJ): What is the main industry in your constituency?
Wong Siew Ki (WSK): Balakong is best represented by its small- and medium enterprises (SMEs).
SJ: What is the main attraction in Balakong?
WSK: Balakong is a predominantly Chinese area that is growing at an extremely fast pace. Many famous
local brands have chosen to set up shop here. Among them are old-timers Yu Ai Food Industries which is famous for its mooncakes, Benns Ethicoa Bean-To-Bar Chocolate Factory, Polar Ice Cream, Ligno Biotech and Mighty White. We are trying to capitalise on the area’s vast potential and have initiated a new programme this year known as Balakong Industrial Tourism to promote our small- and medium enterprises to the public. Currently, we are conducting several test runs whereby selected media representatives and a few ‘VIPs’ get to experience industrial tourism by invitation. Once this initiative is up and running, the public can take part and visit our factories to see how they operate. The Balakong Industrial Tourism programme will feature a good mix of tourism, education, research and knowledge in trade. The programme is expected to be up and running in March.
SJ: What are the concerns raised by your constituents and how do you address them?
WSK: One-third of the constituency consists of industrial areas, with SME players making a strong presence here due to easy access to the major highways. The downside of being a preferred location for industries is that we have a problem with illegal factories here, and these factories dump their waste around Balakong. The Pakatan Harapan government has been helping to solve many problems relating to these factories since the 2008 General Election. There is an improvement. I have also been working closely with the state government to encourage the factories to apply for a permit, and to get the help of KDEB Waste Management Sdn Bhd to overcome the illegal dumping problem.
SJ: What are your achievements so far in your constituency?
WSK: Since I took over the helm following the demise of the late Eddie Ng in 2018, I’ve worked hard to bring the idea of industrial tourism to Balakong. I want to see Balakong emerge as the first and leading industrial tourism location in Southeast Asia. As mentioned earlier, I am also very concerned about the issue of illegal dumping and have had multiple engagements with representatives of the illegal factories to encourage them to get legalised.
SJ: What are some of your problem-solving methods?
WSK: I believe that whenever we encounter any problems, the most fitting solution is to go deep into their root cause. If we get to tackle a problem by identifying its root cause, the chances for that problem to be amicably resolved is higher.
This article first appeared in the Selangor Journal monthly February edition, published on January 24, 2022.
