I have just arrived at my office after spending the morning and afternoon in Parliament. I had a 9 am meeting with Parliament researchers and the protocols division. The meeting is in preparation of the AIPA working group on Climate Change. After that at 10 am to 1 pm, I joined some PAC members to greet and meet Bhutan Parliament’s PAC members. We had a good discussion on a wide variety of subjects including Bhutan’s famed National Happiness Index.

On a bit more news of my diplomatic engagements, I hosted a simple dinner in my home for the Cuban Ambassador, HE Ibete Hernandez and her husband Jose, together with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office Representative HE Anne Hung and Officer Charles Chou. I also invited YB Ng Sze Han (who is very close to Charles) and his wife Bee Eng. YB Larry Sng, who lives 1km from me, joined in too. We had a good chat on geo politics as well as domestic issues.

On yet another diplomatic engagement, I attended Europe Day on Wednesday night and caught up with my dear friends, the EU Ambassador HE Maria Castillo, and the Norwegian Ambassador, HE Gunn Jorid Roset.

Tonight my office together with YB Michelle’s office and JKP1 will sponsor a buka puasa event with the Subang Jaya Bomba.

Hey everyone, Paul Mae here! With cheerful greetings of ‘Selamat Pagi!’, our staff and interns brought the office to the low-cost flats of SS13, Subang Jaya. Today, we visited 6 families facing financial difficulties due to critical health problems. Interns Alethea and Nathan were exposed to 
first-hand experience on grassroot issues. Our office is looking into more sustainable solutions for poverty eradication – i.e., minimum wage.

A big thank-you to Puan Zaiton from Surau SS13 for liaising with the families involved. Also, special thanks to Oscar from MPSJ for accompanying us as we went from one house to another.

A mother who only has her family’s well-being in mind. ‘I’ll never owe my children’s school fees; I want them to study.’

A taxi driver forced into early retirement due to amputation of his last toe. One infection after another leads to loss of income over the last 3 months.

A father supports 4 children with his small ‘makanan gerai’. Unfortunately, a critical heart problem leaves them helpless for 3 months.

It has been a busy last few days. On Monday night, I was at Masjid Al Falah for buka puasa. On Tuesday, I had two PAC hearings, one on the “flying car” and the other on the GST refund. Then at night, I had a buka puasa with Rafizi, Izzah organised by Larry Sng. And I met my old university friend, Mark Ho in the same restaurant. 

On Wednesday, I had again two sets of meetings on ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA). I will be chairing the Climate Change AIPA Working Group in mid June. My officers and interns were there for a big meeting, chaired by the Speaker. After that I dropped by to visit Samy, the PKR Ketua Cabang of Kelana Jaya, whose son is hospitalised due to a serious car accident. Then I went back to the office and had a busy service night. 

Today I had a meeting with the business community in the morning, followed by a meeting with EPIC, an NGO and after that held a press conference with YB Michelle. 

Lots of things done, just no time to report. Attached are pictures of events in my last 3 days.

Pusat Khidmat Rakyat Parlimen Subang merafak Sembah Takziah kepada Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong XVI Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al- Mustafa Billah Shah Ibni Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah dan seluruh ahli keluarga serta kerabat DiRaja Pahang atas kemangkatan KDYMM Paduka Ayahanda Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al Musta’in Billah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mu’adzam Shah, Sultan Pahang ke-V pada 22hb Mei 2019.

This morning, I am now in the Institute of Strategic and International Studies for a roundtable on economic issues, chaired by YB Mustapha Mohamed. I will write a bit more about this later.

This posting is about the events that I attended last weekend. I am still trying to flush out my kidney stones; the good news is I am now on reduced medication. I am trying to do more things, rather than resting at home.

On Saturday, I had four events, three in Kinrara and one in Subang Jaya. On Sunday, I had two events one in Kinrara and the other in Subang Jaya. Most of the events are Ramadhan related, the focus being in the poorer areas of Subang. Before the events, the residents will take me around and show me their community problems and state of disrepair of their flats. My office will continue our policy of prioritising the needs of the poor.

Attached are many pictures of my weekend events. I want to thank all the organisers, JKPs and communities for all their efforts.