KUALA KUBU BARU: Residents of Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) hope the next assemblyman will continue the legacy of his or her predecessor.

The late Lee Kee Hiong, who served three terms, left a lasting impact on the town, with the community crediting her for its increased development.

Residents expressed hope that the new assemblyman will help build more infrastructure to support their businesses.

Shammala Mathialagam, 31, said the late Lee was an inclusive and attentive assemblyman who was frequently seen in the town, listening to their concerns.

"She made significant contributions to the town, including promoting tourism, which led to an increase in travelers visiting the area.

One of her contributions was swiftly instructing the installation of lamplights at the pasar malam area, Shammala recalled.

"She was often seen alone in town, casually engaging with people and inquiring about their issues. She even visited the store where I work to inquire if we had any concerns," the store administrator said.

Shammala expressed her hope that the next assemblyman would follow in Lee's footsteps and continue her work.

"I hope the next assemblyman will be similar to Lee. I also hope they will help us resolve the parking issues in town," she said.

A retail assistant who wishes to be known as Ilya Maisarah, 25, said Lee was always attentive and quick to take action during her tenure.

"When there were potholes or traffic light breakdowns, the police quickly arrived to manage traffic," she said.

She echoed Shammala's sentiment and hoped the next assemblyman would support their businesses and address parking issues.

"Our customers often complain about parking, especially during peak hours. We don't want to lose customers.

"Even for us workers, finding parking requires driving in circles, and we have to walk quite far from our shop," she said.

A businesswoman who wishes to be known as Noraini, 54, hopes the next assemblyman will be present in the town and attentive to their needs.

Noraini, who has had a shop in town for the past 17 years, hopes Lee's successor will assist the B40 group, especially with the rising cost of living.

"I only wish for an assemblyman who is present, listens to the people, and voices our concerns, especially regarding the B40 group and the rising cost of living.

"If the next assemblyman is from the opposition party, I hope there will be no issues with allocation," she said.

Lee died on March 21 after a battle with cancer. The three-term assemblywoman first won her seat in 2013 after defeating MCA's Ooi Hui Wen with a 1,702-vote majority and defended it in 2018 with a 7,134-vote majority over MCA's Wong Koon Mun.

During the state election last year, Lee retained the seat for DAP with a 4,119-vote majority ahead of Gerakan's Henry Teoh.

The Election Commission (EC) has fixed May 11 for the KKB by-election following Lee's passing.

The KKB by-election would see a four-corner battle between Pakatan Harapan's Pang Sock Tao, Perikatan Nasional's Khairul Azhari Saut, Hafizah Zainudin from Parti Rakyat Malaysia and Nyau Ke Xin who is an independent candidate.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/04/1044174/kkb-looks-new-assemblyman-continue-lees-legacy