Tune in to Ntv7 at 7pm and 8pm tonight where Councillor Anthony Thanasayan responds to his critics.
Meanwhile, today's Star Metro suggests that Thanasayan may return as Petaling Jaya City Councillor soon.
Here's the story:
Friday March 9, 2012
Two MBPJ councillors may not be appointed due to objections
By EDWARD R. HENRY
edward@thestar.com.my
Lee, 40, is the PKR Youth national treasurer and a lawyer while Azman is a businessman.
Councillor Anthony Thanasayan is expected to be retained for another term to uplift the facilities for the disabled and his committment towards animal welfare.
According to a state secretariat source, Tang and Harmony, who had been issued with appointment letters on Tuesday evening, might be dropped because of objections from various quarters.
On Wednesday, the Peatling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) swearing-in ceremony at 10.30am was called off five minutes before it began.
MBPJ public relations officer Zainun Zakaria said the ceremony was postponed on technical grounds.
It was learnt that the eleventh hour decision was forced upon the council as there were objections from various quarters on the appointment of three councillors Tang, Harmony and Thanasayan.
Harmony, who is said to be at loggerheads with his PKR division chief for Petaling Jaya Utara, might be replaced by Azman.
One officer at the state secretariat said Thanasayan would be retained to ensure certain projects he had initiated were completed.
“Thanasayan has introduced better facilities for the disabled and the state will consider retaining him.
“Certain quarters had called for his removal because of personal issues. Selangor officials are looking at the matter from a professional point of view,” he added.
Newcomer Norliana Mohamad, who entered the fray on a NGO quota, is a PAS member. The matter is being deliberated between PAS and PKR.
Norliana admitted that she was a member of PJS Ketua Muslimat PAS but appointed under the NGO quota.
Selangor MCA public complaints bureau chief Datuk Theng Book said the Selangor government must appoint only NGO candidates for the quota and not dupe the people by putting members from political groups.
“Petaling Jaya residents will feel cheated as the Pakatan Rakyat manifesto in 2008 promised 72 council seats out of the 288 for NGOs.
“Instead at that time only 17 NGO councillors were appointed,” he said.
Theng said from the last term in 2010 to February this year, the NGO representation shrank to 10 councillors.
“For the new term March 2012-March 2013, the Pakatan government may even reduce the NGO quota further,” he said.
Theng said the state must come clean with the profile of the appointees for local councils.
YESTERDAY'S STAR METRO:
Thursday March 8, 2012
Swearing-in ceremony for PJ’s new councillors called off
By EDWARD R. HENRY
edward@thestar.com.my
Photo by SAM THAM
CONFUSION reigned at the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) this morning when the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for 10.30am yesterday was called off five minutes before the start.
An official from the city council came out and told the 19 out of the 23 present to disperse since the swearing in was called off due to technicalities.
The media members who were just as eager to witness the swearing-in ceremony were then told to go to the mayor’s (Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman) office in the second floor.
There the mayor did not show up but MBPJ Public Relations Officer Zainun Zakaria issued a statement which said the swearing-in ceremony had been postponed on technical grounds.
Puzzled:
Councillor Terence Tan Teck Seng (left) looks at the invitation for the
swearing-in. With him is fellow councillor, newcomer Lee Suet Sen. “This is beyond our countrol,” the statement said. The statement also stated that the absence of four councillors had nothing to do with the ceremony being postponed.
The absent councillors were Latheefa Beebi Koya, Derek Fernandez, Tiew Way Keng and Ir. Tiong Boon Keong.
However, it was learnt that the eleventh hour decision was forced upon the council as there were objections from various quarters on the appointment of three councillors — Tang Fuie Koh and Harmony Ghani Ismail from PKR and Anthony Thanasayan (NGO).
A source from the State Secretariat said three councillors who had already been issued with the appointment letters on Tuesday evening might be dropped because of the objections.
It was also learned that Tang, a senior councillor, was not in a state executive councillor’s good book while Harmony was said to be at loggerheads with his PKR division chief for Petaling Jaya Utara.
Thanasayan is slated to be dropped due to pressure from certain NGO groups.
Another controversial figure is newcomer Norliana Mohamad, who entered the fray as a NGO.
However, a number of people had pointed out that she was a PAS member — PJS Ketua Muslimat PAS.
When asked, Norliana admitted that she was a PJS Ketua Muslimat PAS but explained that she was appointed under the NGO quota.
One councillor said PAS must make a clear stand on Norliana’s case and not deprive another NGO from getting the post.
Several other councillors told The Star, apart from the PKR duo Thanasayan should be retained as he had brought changes and benefits for the disabled in Petaling Jaya.
“Earlier PJ did not have tact tiles or special walking paths for the disabled but now we have it along the main roads. Another area that he helped to promote was the welfare of animals,” said a social activist.
She added that the state government must reconsider Thanasayan for the councillor’s post as he has a wealth of knowledge on providing benefits for the physically challenged and animal welfare.
YESTERDAY'S STREETS, NEW STRAITS TIMES:
THE Petaling Jaya City Council’s councillors swearing-in ceremony was cancelled at the 11th hour yesterday morning.
Petaling
Jaya Councillor Mahharul Ismail giving the thumbs down as the
councillors swearing-in ceremony was called off at the 11th hour. Pic
by Hasriyasyah Sabudin
1 / 2
The councillors, he said, would have to wait for a further notice.
Most of them, who came dressed in formal attire, were seated in the council’s meeting room, waiting for the ceremony to begin when the announcement was made.
Members of the media, who were also seated in the room, were told to head to the mayor's office for a press conference.
However, mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman was not present and the press conference was chaired by the council's media relations officer Zainun Zakaria instead. She said the swearing-in was called off due to a "technical error" .
Zainun said four of the 23 councillors were absent.
Derek Fernandez, Latheefa Beebi Koya, Tiew Way Keng and Tiong Boon Keong were not able to attend the ceremony because they were either at work or abroad.
However, MBPJ later sent a fax stating that the cancellation had nothing to do with the absence of the councillors.
Zainun said: "We have six new faces and one vacant seat."
The six councillors, based on a circular distributed by the council, were Ahmad Akhir Pawan Chik, Mohd Ghazali Daud, Azri Mohamad Arish, Norliana Mohamad, Lee Suet Sen and Harmony Ghani Ismail.
Zainun also refuted claims of a protest against a councillor. "We have not received any protests," she said.
Before the press conference, Anthony Thanasayan, a councillor since 2008, was seen being wheeled into the mayor's office.
Journalists received a short messaging service (SMS) which read: "Joint press conference by animal welfare non-governmental organisation and several associations representing disabled people in protest against Anthony Thanasayan being reappointed as MBPJ councillor.
"Our grouse is his interference in our canine welfare advocacy work, propagation of euthanasia and attempts of commercialising dog catching in Selangor".
The press conference was held at a hotel yesterday afternoon.
Vice-president of Warga OKU PJ, Azlan Elias, who was protesting against Anthony, said: "Anthony has failed to fulfil his duty.
"There are only a few places in PJ with facilities for the disabled. I think Klang council is doing a better job in providing amenities for the disabled," said Azlan.
The Warga OKU PJ was formed four months ago.
A spokesman from Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better, a canine welfare project initiated by a non-governmental organisation, said the movement was against a state government plan to build a RM5 million centralised dog pound.
"Who is Anthony to announce this project? He is interfering in our animal-welfare efforts.
"He discredits our efforts for animal welfare," said the spokesman who was also at the press conference.
At the www.malaysiandogsdeservebetter.blogspot.com there is a petition to get rid of Anthony with 1,249 signatures.
When contacted, Anthony said the RM5 million dog pound project was announced by state executive councillor Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar in an online news portal about five months ago.
According to him, Xavier had mentioned that for details, they could speak to Anthony.
"I did not make any announcements on this matter," he said, adding that MBPJ is an award-winning city council known for championing the disabled and animals' rights.
A PJ councillor, who did not wished to be named, said: "Anthony has been performing well and he has brought many positive changes to the city.
"The public has benefited a lot by having him as a councillor."
Over at Shah Alam, the swearing-in ceremony of the councillors at the City council went smoothly as planned.
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