Sunday, March 9, 2008

PROFILE

EDWARD LEE is no stranger to Petaling Jaya Selatan residents. A prominent community leader, Edward has championed numerous community issues and brought about improvement to local governance in Petaling Jaya.Lee’s numerous activities can be found online with a simple search on Google using the keywords: Edward Lee Petaling Jaya (click on the ‘pages from Malaysia’ toggle).


COMMUNITY SERVICE
Lee was involved in the following achievements, done without financial funding from any political party, corporations or individuals but through cooperation and consultation with the public and working together with the municipality.

1) Malaysian Care
Lee started out voluntary work with Malaysian Care in 1985 driving children with learning disabilities to camps and outdoor activities. He was also their teacher and friend.Through introductions by churches and friends, he later also helped people with mental illnesses, eg schizophrenia, suicidal cases and depression, by being their friend and carer.


2) Gazetting Bukit Gasing, PJ
In 1999 Lee, together with some neighbours, started a campaign to save Bukit Gasing when the (then) Petaling Jaya Municipal Council proposed to have the hill developed. The massive development project was shelved after Lee, David Wells, Richard Skolnik and Derek Fernandez formed the Save Bukit Gasing Committee and galvanised the community through a signature campaign to gazette Bukit Gasing as a green lung.

The petition to save Bukit Gasing received more than 11,000 signatories. The gazetting of Bukit Gasing as a green lung only applies to the portion within the Petaling Jaya border and Lee, with the Save Bukit Gasing Committee, continues to fight for the preservation of Bukit Gasing.



3) Residents’ Association Section 5, PJ
Lee started the Section 5 Residents’ Association in mid-2000. The association was formally registered on May 9, 2001 with Lee holding the president position from the start till present. The association was formed to tackle crime in the area and grew to represent the Section 5 community in numerous community issues, including the protest against RTPJ1.


4) Puchong Incinerator
In 2001, a waste incinerator project was mooted in the township of Puchong by the Housing and Local Government Ministry. It was a project that the community did not want due to the potential health hazard. Concerned of the effects of the incinerator that could affect the health of residents within a 5km radius, Lee joined the fight and became the vice-chairman of the Puchong Incinerator Relocation Committee.

The committee managed to stop the project in Puchong after environment experts debunked the project’s Environment Assessment Impact report that no harm would be done to the environment. The MYR1.5 billion project was relocated to Broga but was finally scrapped by the government in July 6, 2007* after it was found to be too costly.


5) Petaling Jaya Local Draft Plan (RTPJ1)
In 2002, PJ residents were hit with RTPJ1 prepared by the (then) Petaling Jaya Municipal Council, where numerous development proposals were planned without any consultation of the public. The original RTPJ1 would have allowed massive development of the residential area which was not wanted by the community. The RA Section 5 PJ committee produced the objection letter and gathered the Section 5 community to sign the papers to stop the development plans.


6) All PJ Pro Action Committee (APPAC)
A coalition of residents associations in Petaling Jaya comprising of 46 residents associations and 22 rukun tetanggas, this body was formed to protest against the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council’s move to increase assessment rates in PJ without due justification. APPAC was formed to unite the voices of PJ residents. With Lee as its chairman, APPAC raised numerous issues over the course of two years since its formation, including the billboard licensing privatisation attempt and the MPPJ Football Club.

7) Condominium, Apartment and High-rise Committee (CAHC)
When Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (SYABAS) announced that it would increase water rates for condominium residents in June 2006, Lee formed CAHC, which quickly gained the support of 54 condominium associations and became a pressure group that eventually forced the Selangor state government to allow condominium residents to come up with a plan that allowed condominium owners to have their own water meters. Lee is the advisor of CAHC while Tengku Nazaruddin Zainuddin is the chairman.


8) Coalition Against Water Privatisation (CAWP)
In 2006, the CAWP was formed by 127 different non governmental organisations, environmental groups, trade and labour unions, consumer associations, religious bodies, residents associations, human rights defenders and concerned individuals.Lee, together with APPAC and CAHC, including Tengku Nazaruddin, are a part of this coalition. Lee and Nazaruddin, together with 11 other individuals and MTUC are also applicants of a judicial review to demand for SYABAS to reveal its concession agreement with the government.


9) Work Experience

1970 - 1973 Borneo Company (M) Sdn Bhd, Port Klang, Junior Executive
1973 - 1975 Anglo French Trading (M) Sdn Bhd, Port Klang, Executive
1975 - 1975 Ben Line Steramers Ltd, West Malaysia, Shipping Assistant
1975 - 1977 Ben Line Streamers Ltd, Johore and Port Klang, Department Manager
1977 - 1978 Birkart Sdn Bhd, Kuala Lumpur, General Manager
1979 - 1982 Birkart Southeast Asia, Singapore, Regional Director
1982 - 1984 Seabridge Transport Pte Ltd, Singapore, Partner/Director
1984 - 1986 Alphatrans AG, Basel Far East, Hong Kong and Singapore, Controller
1986 - 1988 White Industries Ltd, Kuala Lumpur, Commercial Director

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