Building a thriving and engaged residents’ association takes sustained effort, and the Bukit Bandaraya residents’ association is a testament to what is possible.
Over five decades, it has evolved into a proactive group that protects and enhances the living experience of its community.
Like many early residents’ associations established in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya in the 1970s, the Bukit Bandaraya residents’ association began as a group advocating for the welfare and interests of area homebuyers.
“We started as a group to coordinate the timely receipt of keys from the developer and evolved into what it is today,” said Datuk Mumtaz Ali, better known as M. Ali, a long-time member, former president, and now an adviser to the association.
“It has been a long journey of struggle, challenges, and success. In the last 50 years, we have not only fostered a close relationship with those living here but also with authorities, stakeholders, and partners,” he noted. This includes Kuala Lumpur City Hall, the Federal Territories Ministry, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Indah Water Konsortium, and Alam Flora.
Ali, who has been the de facto spokesman for the association for years, admitted that challenges continue to evolve in the neighbourhood compared to 50 years ago. He said that while residents’ associations are voluntary conduits between communities and agencies, they also play a vital role in planning for future communities.
“The greatest continuing challenge is the never-ending blind development, without any regard for the environment and the social impact it brings to the locality,” he stressed.
“While times are changing, authorities and city planners must effectively remain committed to engaging with the community and must continue to ‘turun padang’ to find out what’s happening.”
The association’s recent gala dinner, held at the Royal Lake Club on Oct 11, drew a distinguished crowd. Attendees included Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, who is also the Member of Parliament for Lembah Pantai, along with the association’s president Pushpa Mahalingam, the management committee, and residents from Bukit Bandaraya.
Ali noted that the organising committee was also thrilled to welcome Brickfields Deputy OCPD Superintendent Ahmad Firdaus Mustafa Kamal, Bangsar’s Saidina Abu Bakar As-Siddiq (MSABA) Mosque chairman Professor Emeritus Dr Azman Awang, representatives from the office of the Kuala Lumpur Mayor, police personnel from the Travers and Pantai stations, and representatives from the Bangsar Baru, Bangsar Park, and Lucky Garden residents’ associations.
For the approximately 200 guests, comprising mostly residents of Bukit Bandaraya spanning at least three generations, the event served as a trip down memory lane, as such social engagements had been few and far between in recent years due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Nostalgia filled the air with a variety of activities, including interactive mind games, vibrant Bhangra music, and colourful dances that encouraged participation from the guests.
During the event, the association’s president Pushpa Mahalingam thanked the authorities, partners, and stakeholders for helping create a sustainable living environment for the community over the years.
She also highlighted the excellent nexus the association has with the Saidina Abu Bakar As-Siddiq Mosque and the network it has built with other residential associations within Bangsar. She invited them to join the association’s fortnightly fellowship walks and the monthly MSABA JomFit exercise sessions.
“These activities have fostered a neighbourhood spirit of camaraderie and unity, which reflects why Bangsar truly continues to embody the fabric of a multi-ethnic nation,” said Pushpa.
“The Bukit Bandaraya residents’ association continues to strive by keenly listening to the voices of its members to provide a reasonably better standard of living amidst the growing challenges faced by urban suburbs in the city,” she added.
