BY MANGALESRI CHANDRASEKARAN
mangalesri@ocision.com

Staying in a township has become a trend now mainly due to the convenience it offers, which include recreational parks, shopping malls, hospitals and education institutes. Malaysians from all walks of life share their experiences and expectations of being part of the bigger township community.

1 Padmavathy Ammal, Kota Kemuning 
Born and brought up in Bidor Tahan Estate, Perak, I used to walk far to buy household things or even to go to a hospital for any medical emergencies. Things were very difficult then. Sixty years ago, I remember having to walk one hour to reach a hospital in the middle of contractions to deliver my first child. However, today living in the township of Kota Kemuning for the past 15 years, is very convenient as everything that I need is just within walking distance. There are also many public transportation services available to connect from one area to another.

2 Sharon Low, Bandar Putra Permai
This is a well-established township which is peaceful to live in. However, there are concerns regarding the lack of public transportation and several other amenities, which sometimes require us to drive out to the neighbouring townships. There are ample room for improvements and I hope that the necessary amenities will be available soon. Besides that, there are a wet market, restaurants, pharmacies, tuition centres and book stores within easy reach, as well as key amenities such as education institutes, healthcare centres and supermarkets.

3 Vigenesperan Muniappan & Yuvernaes Chandrasekaran, Bandar Saujana Putra
It has been several years since we moved to Bandar Saujana Putra, a new township with a myriad of amenities planned for the near future. Location wise, this place is highly favourable, as I am working at Kota Kemuning and my wife is working at KLIA, Sepang. It only takes less than 30 minutes to reach both places. As a family with two growing toddlers, it is a joy to see that Mahsa University and Mahsa Hospital are under construction, and there are also future plans to develop primary and secondary schools here.

4 Matthew Wong, Damansara Utama
There are definitely pros and cons of living in a township. Various amenities are situated nearby making it highly advantageous. This is mostly due to the proximity of other integrated townships around Damansara Utama, which makes our lives easier. Besides that, maintenance of the environment in this neighbourhood is quite good as trees and grass in our parks are constantly trimmed, and withered leaves shed around our neighbourhood are cleared regularly to give a pristine feeling.

5 Effendi Yahya, Kota Damansara 
For me, Kota Damansara is the place I prefer to stay. Even though the traffic congestion is quite bad during peak hours, yet everything I need is just minutes away. The best feature about this place is that there are malls, healthcare facilities, commercial centres and most importantly they are located within a short driving distance from my office. There is also a serene lake garden, perfect for lazing around during weekends.

6 Sri Sasitharan Rathakrishnan & Radha Swathe Priya Malon, Bandar Botanic
Being a newly married couple, we enjoy our stay in this township so far. Living in Bandar Botanic is quite convenient because it provides us with easy access to shopping, education, entertainment and healthcare facilities, as well as professional services, thereby saving us time, energy and cost in meeting our basic needs. This township provides us with an overall lifestyle advantage due to its balanced mix of residential and commercial spaces along with well-developed infrastructure and recreational amenities in a green and serene environment.

7 Intan Syafiqah Zainorin, Bandar Kinrara 
My cup of tea is Bandar Kinrara that offers a great selection of amenities, that varies from leisure to recreational facilities. Even though it is located closely to Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur, this township offers a calm, peaceful and quiet ambience, making it perfect for family with children to live in. My only concern with this township is the lack of security features, since there are a high number of reported theft cases here.

8 Logentheran Pakianathan, Bandar Kinrara
I moved to Bandar Kinrara five years ago living in a rented house and I don't regret my decision. The place offers high accessibility and a peaceful environment to live in. There are traffic congestion during peak hours, yet this issue will be addressed after the new LRT starts to operate. If I am to buy my first home, I would definitely put this place on top of my list as it has everything I need and the houses here are still quite affordable.

9 Nurul Huda Ab Wahid, Pandan Jaya
I recently bought my first home in this township and my biggest consideration was the connectivity. The place is quite self-contained with ample stores and I don't have to drive out most of the time. During peak hours, the traffic jam is still considered moderate and the LRT eases transportation problem. Overall, I am quite happy to start my married life in this township, as it is quite convenient for me and my husband to travel to work.

10 Ng May Chia, Bandar Sri Permaisuri
Even though I prefer staying in a less hectic place like 'kampung', yet I still love every bit of this township. Everything I need is within minutes away, saving my time from getting stuck in hours of traffic jam. We have a nice park nearby, it is a great spot to spend quality time with family during the weekend to get some fresh air, jogging, exercising or picnic, if you don't mind the hot weather. The security features of this township is also quite good, as my gated and guarded residential area has frequent security patrol.

11 Lee Ling Khai, Subang Jaya
Living in an integrated township is relatively more convenient compared to living in a small town like Kampar. One of the benefits we get to enjoy is more advanced and convenient public amenities. Everything from food to public amenities are built in and residents do not need to travel to other districts or town to run chores. It saves us money and time. Staying in this township makes me feel like I belong to a tight-knit community, part of a progressive society endowed with sophisticated technology and vibrant ambience of living. Life seems to be energetic despite the undesirable traffic conditions and difficulty in finding a parking spot.

12 Hazrizam Ab Rahim, Subang Jaya
Living in a township is vital for a family where both husband and wife are working. It’s easy for us to access all the basic necessities and needs, especially in an event of an emergency. Subang Jaya is a mature township, which has basically everything within the vicinity. There are a few concerns in terms of safety, but I strongly believe that each individual should take his own precautions in preventing intruders from entering his home and not depend on the enforcement team alone. For now, this township is just what I need. However when I retire, I would prefer to stay in a remote area, away from the hectic city life.

13 Sri Theyshaini Nahasaram, Seremban 2
Seremban 2 is like a city within a city, which allows us to breathe fresh air and to live in a pollution-free vicinity. Moreover, this township brings people and communities together at one place, where multiracial people are allowed to do anything except crime. Besides providing a best place to live, learn, work and participate in all aspects, this township also creates a meaningful and productive life for its residents.