I thought the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MPPJ) was one efficient local government body, looking at how it kept the main streets of PJ well-maintained and clean at all times. But that image of the council has now shattered after I realised just how poorly a job MPPJ does in maintaining the bus-stops and streetlights in the housing areas of Section 14.

I recently moved to the neighbourhood of Jalan 14/43 and a shiver runs down my spine each time I plan to go out at night or when I return home after 7pm. My neighbourhood is so poorly lit up that even the cabbie who once dropped me and a friend remarked that the area was so dark, that it was an ideal setting for snatch thefts.

As residents, we ask that MPPJ does what it is supposed to do, i.e. maintain the roads and ensure that 'generous' streetlights are placed in housing areas. In my area of 14/43, the streetlights there are few and far between, making it hard for us residents to even catch a glimpse of a passing motorist. How are we going to recognise a snatch thief if the existing situation prevails?

If the streetlights are maintained by TNB and not MPPJ, then the same plea goes to the former. Please do not wait for one of the residents there to become victims of snatch thieves just because the 'trusted' government agencies failed to do their job.

Even the bus stops in my area are in desperate need of 'help'. There are no lights at these bus stops, so someone waiting for a bus or a cab can only pray that she or he boards the public transport safely.

To MPPJ, may I remind you that it is no thrill to live in fear each time we the residents are walking alone on the streets near our homes. While there is no guarantee that crime will never take place, its occurrence can be minimised if only the local councils are more pro-active and work hard for their money.

Having shared my fear and concern, maybe my fellow residents and I might see improvements soon - after all, the general election is coming and the government will need all the votes it can to win the 2/3 majority.

Our requests are not lavish, but basic ones. If residents are dutifully reminded by the local

councils to promptly pay their assessment and quit rents, then why can't the residents do the same, in reminding the council, in this case, MPPJ, to buck up and make safety a priority on their list of public service agenda?