By SN Rajan
Residents often have many problems relating to cleanliness and upkeep of their neighbourhoods.
There are also issues that do not normally fall under the regular purview of local authorities.
In Bangsar Park and its surrounding areas, locals have a “Mr Ben” to go to.
He cheerfully helps handle problems so effortlessly that they do not realise that a lot of effort has been put into solving them.
Benedict Lopez (better known as Ben), a former director with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida), has transitioned from bringing investments to the country to helping his neighbourhood.
Problems, big and small, have been brought to him. He has established such good connections with key officials in the relevant departments and councils that these issues are promptly attended to.
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Recently, a kitten got stuck in a drain during a thunderstorm and was meowing for help.
Notes were sent to Ben, with a brief description of the problem and a few snapshots of the cat.
Ben sent a polite note to the appropriate contact.
The rescue staff from Kuala Lumpur City Hall were able to get down into the deep drain and rescue the feline.
Recently there were reports about a deluge of palm fronds that had come crashing down on the walkways fronting Lorong Maarof in Kuala Lumpur. These Silver Bismarck palms, at least 100 of them, line the pavement along the road and are a sight to behold.
But the huge, heavy leaves which fell during thunderstorms posed a serious threat. Ben alerted city hall and to everyone’s surprise, not only did they attend to the fallen fronds, they also set about trimming all the trees along the footpath to make it safe for pedestrians.
Ben says many residents are unsure of how to contact the relevant authorities to deal with problems. He has mastered the art and gets brief reports done.
Many issues are brought to Ben’s attention, but others are through his observations during his 5km daily walk in the area.
Among his most cherished accomplishments is the set of railings he had got installed at the staircases leading to the Maybank branch on Jalan Maarof and aluminium railings in Lucky Garden.
Ben has seen women and older adults struggling up and down these staircases and felt something had to be done. The latest one was a railing he got fixed leading to a steep staircase fronting a 4D outlet.
Another problem was blocked drains, causing a stench behind some popular eateries in the neighbourhood. The clean-up crew came in full force and got the clogged drains cleaned and water flowing.
An overhead traffic light at the busy junction in front of McDonald’s was found hanging loose, and the authorities were notified.
Two house gardens were infested with termites. Alerts were sent out, and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s landscape and recreation department came to the rescue.
Footpaths and jogging tracks at the Jalan Rumpai Park were heavily covered with moss, and remedial action was taken to clean the slippery paths.
Ben helped get playground facilities in the area repaired. It is a source of pride for him when he sees many children enjoying the facilities.
The authorities are equally happy that there is a responsive resident who knows the formalities that have to be met for them to speedily attend to problems.
His noteworthy efforts extend beyond just being a liaison with the authorities. Ben has also been helping many a budding entrepreneur who has branched out into the food business.
A long-time resident of the Jalan Limau Nipis area, Ben is a skilled communicator and liaison specialist as he was with the Labour Department before Mida.
In his last posting as Mida director for five Nordic countries, Ben oversaw investment promotion in those countries. He also promoted Malaysia as not only an investment destination but also a tourist haven.
Ben says what he is doing now is out of love for the neighbourhood where he has lived in for over 50 years, and for residents with whom he has bonded. – The Star
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I know Ben from his days in London.He always wanted to be a Priest.Loads of love and respect .All the Best Ben. Mukhi.