The postcode change in Puchong was meant to facilitate easier identification of mail delivery borders and categorising of postmen, explained Pos Malaysia.
It is also said to enable developers of new housing areas to get their postcodes right.
Pos Malaysia Selangor deputy state manager and chief of mail operation Ab Aziz Othman said the restructuring of postcodes in Puchong was for the benefit of all as Puchong was becoming increasingly densely populated with the mushrooming of new developments and housing areas over the years.
“We had actually applied to our headquarters for approval for this restructuring exercise in April last year. Approval was given a month later, in May, and we immediately implemented the change,” said Ab Aziz.
Changes inevitable: Kow (left) and Ab Aziz showing the flyers that state the new postcodes for the residential areas in Puchong.
He said it had already been a year since the change was implemented and claimed that flyers were distributed to households to inform the residents of the exercise.
Pos Malaysia explained the change at a press conference called by the office of Seri Serdang assemblyman Datuk Satim Diman.
While Satim was not present at the meeting, his two special assistants Awtar Singh and Kuan Chee Heng were, as was former Kinrara assemblyman Dr Kow Cheong Wei.
Recently, groups of residents in Pusat Bandar Puchong were upset and expressed bewilderment over the change in the postcodes of their residential area, claiming that they had not been notified prior to the change.
They said the new postcodes were inconveniencing them as they would have to notify their banks and credit card companies, and were worried that their bank statements and letters would not reach them if the old postcodes were used.
Ab Aziz explained that the first two digits in a postcode indicated the state, while the last three digits indicated the mail delivery zone and the postman in charge of delivering the mail.
“Even if the postcode is the old one or a wrong one, as long as the recipient's address is correct, I can promise you that the mail will reach the correct destination.
“If the address is wrong but the word ‘Puchong’ is written, then we assure you that we will still try our best to find the place,” he told several residents who were present.
Asked why this matter was only brought up recently by residents when the change had been implemented a year ago, Ab Aziz said people might not have given much thought to the flyers distributed previously and only became aware of the exercise following the change in postcode digits on signages put up by the local councils.
He said the Selangor post management and headquarters had been closely monitoring the rapid development in Puchong before deciding to implement the exercise.
Asked whether the new postcodes were permanent or if there were more changes in the pipeline, Ab Aziz said he did not foresee changes in the short term.
Kow said Puchong had over 60 housing estates with more than 275,000 residents living in over 100,000 homes.
“Previously, things like credit cards and bank loans were not commonplace. However, over the years, with these things becoming commonplace, the volume of mail, too, has increased,” he said.
“Therefore, we have to accept upgrading, and this may take some time. It's inevitable although we know that some of us may face problems initially.”
He added that he never failed to meet up with Pos Malaysia officers every year to show them his gratitude and offer encouragement and support, which would in turn improve their productivity.
“So far, my service centre has also not received complaints from residents about loss of letters,” he said.
At present, there are a total of 74 delivery postmen in Puchong who have to deliver an average of over 60,000 mail items daily in the township.
Meanwhile, the change in postcode is said to be only a mechanism and not a bill that has to be gazetted.
Puchong branch delivery manager Anwar Kamirun also highlighted the obstacles faced by postmen daily when delivering mail.
Among them are the disturbance of stray dogs prowling the streets and pet dogs within house compounds but which are not leashed or are tied near the mailbox.
He also cited defective and improper mailboxes, into which the postmen had difficulty placing the letters.
“I sincerely hope that residents will cooperate with us so that postmen can handle their jobs more easily and quickly,” said Anwar.
Ab Aziz suggested that residents might want to start updating their new postcodes on computer and send letters to relevant agencies and authorities to notify them of the change.
“We will undoubtedly encounter complaints, but we will try to fulfil the demands that come with this change,” he said.
There are three post offices in Puchong, located in Puchong Perdana, Bukit Puchong and Tesco Puchong, and a mini post office in Giant at Bandar Puteri.
For more information, call 03-5519 8585. (The list of new Puchong postcodes was published in StarMetro on May 29.)
Source: Lim Chia Ying, The Star, 02 June 2008
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