Teng: NGOs jumped gun over S'gor councillors
 |
NGOs
have “jumped the gun” over concerns of being sidelined in the new
Selangor local council appointments, said the state’s exco member for
local government Teng Chang Khim.
He said this is because the state government has yet to receive all the nominations for local councillors.
“As
far as the government is concerned, we have not received the list (of
councillor nominations) from PKR and PAS and I myself have not looked at
the DAP list.
"It is sent to our secretariat (at the state economic planning unit, Upen).
“The secretariat will have to sort it out first before we look at it. Before they know these things, I don’t know how they (the NGOs) can know everything,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Teng was responding to a statement from the Coalition for Good Governance (CGG) yesterday expressing concern over the number of civil society representatives in Selangor local authorities and the possibility that some of these representatives may be sacked.
Since taking power in 2008 the Pakatan Rakyat-led government had pledged to set aside a 25 percent quota for councillors to be appointed from the NGOs, in lieu of local government elections.
The NGOs pointed out that the quota is not being met and in some cases, is falling. The current term for councillors ends on Dec 31 and appointments for the 2014/2015 term is still under way.
'Quota now part of guidelines'
To a question, Teng said the promise of a 25 percent quota for NGOs not only still stands, it has been formalised this year as part of the guidelines for local council appointments.
Among others, the guidelines available from Upen also stipulates a term limit of four years for councillors, and nominees need to have resided in the area they represent for a number of years and must hold a SPM pass at a minimum.
In
addition, NGO nominees must be put forward by the NGOs themselves, and
not by the political parties to ensure that their nomination is endorsed
by their NGO.
“I would admit that we may not be able to apply (the guideline) 100 percent, but at least it is clearly spelled out now in the guidelines.
“If eventually it turns out that we cannot follow the guidelines 100 percent, of course we would have to explain to the people why we can’t - what our constrains were,” he said.
When asked on the allegation that the NGO’s were not consulted on the appointment process, he replied, “Well, we are waiting for their nomination!
“They said they are not being consulted, what are they talking about? I haven’t even seen the list, how am I going to consult?” he said, stressing that only Upen’s secretariat is handling the nominations thus far.
Push for local elections next year
The nomination deadline is Jan 31, 2014, after PKR and PAS reportedly missed past deadlines twice.
Teng also defended the four-year term limit, claiming that this is a part of good governance but some NGO representatives are unhappy with it because it means their term will not be extended.
“If the three parties (in Pakatan) can accept it, why can’t the NGOs accept it? I just don’t understand it.
“They are talking about good governance, but if you look at good corporate governance, most of the big international companies would not allow someone to occupy a position for more than four or five years.
“Now we are doing it and they are complaining. They are the ones who always talk big about good corporate governance and now they just want their selected people to extend their tenure. That sounds contradictory,” he said.
He also said he is still committed to his promise to reinstate local government elections next year.
“I give myself until next year. As I promised, I want to hold it next year. I don’t know whether I can do it or not, but that is my schedule,” he said.
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He said this is because the state government has yet to receive all the nominations for local councillors.
“As
far as the government is concerned, we have not received the list (of
councillor nominations) from PKR and PAS and I myself have not looked at
the DAP list. "It is sent to our secretariat (at the state economic planning unit, Upen).
“The secretariat will have to sort it out first before we look at it. Before they know these things, I don’t know how they (the NGOs) can know everything,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Teng was responding to a statement from the Coalition for Good Governance (CGG) yesterday expressing concern over the number of civil society representatives in Selangor local authorities and the possibility that some of these representatives may be sacked.
Since taking power in 2008 the Pakatan Rakyat-led government had pledged to set aside a 25 percent quota for councillors to be appointed from the NGOs, in lieu of local government elections.
The NGOs pointed out that the quota is not being met and in some cases, is falling. The current term for councillors ends on Dec 31 and appointments for the 2014/2015 term is still under way.
'Quota now part of guidelines'
To a question, Teng said the promise of a 25 percent quota for NGOs not only still stands, it has been formalised this year as part of the guidelines for local council appointments.
Among others, the guidelines available from Upen also stipulates a term limit of four years for councillors, and nominees need to have resided in the area they represent for a number of years and must hold a SPM pass at a minimum.
In
addition, NGO nominees must be put forward by the NGOs themselves, and
not by the political parties to ensure that their nomination is endorsed
by their NGO.“I would admit that we may not be able to apply (the guideline) 100 percent, but at least it is clearly spelled out now in the guidelines.
“If eventually it turns out that we cannot follow the guidelines 100 percent, of course we would have to explain to the people why we can’t - what our constrains were,” he said.
When asked on the allegation that the NGO’s were not consulted on the appointment process, he replied, “Well, we are waiting for their nomination!
“They said they are not being consulted, what are they talking about? I haven’t even seen the list, how am I going to consult?” he said, stressing that only Upen’s secretariat is handling the nominations thus far.
Push for local elections next year
The nomination deadline is Jan 31, 2014, after PKR and PAS reportedly missed past deadlines twice.
Teng also defended the four-year term limit, claiming that this is a part of good governance but some NGO representatives are unhappy with it because it means their term will not be extended.
“If the three parties (in Pakatan) can accept it, why can’t the NGOs accept it? I just don’t understand it.
“They are talking about good governance, but if you look at good corporate governance, most of the big international companies would not allow someone to occupy a position for more than four or five years.
“Now we are doing it and they are complaining. They are the ones who always talk big about good corporate governance and now they just want their selected people to extend their tenure. That sounds contradictory,” he said.
He also said he is still committed to his promise to reinstate local government elections next year.
“I give myself until next year. As I promised, I want to hold it next year. I don’t know whether I can do it or not, but that is my schedule,” he said.
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