Michael Soon On Murmurings At Local Council

aNt's aNgle:

All councillors from the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) were sworn in last Thursday. I was one of them. 

Michael Soon, who after having served for two full years and was dropped this year, shares with us some of the interesting murmurings that took place that afternoon after the solemn ceremony ended.

It is all revealed in the latest installment of his blog called Michael Soon - The Truth Seeker.

PET+BLOGSPOT

DEJA VU AT MBPJ

DEJA VU AT MBPJ
OLD LAMPS FOR NEW

Thurs 15 JuIy – I was at the swearing-in ceremony of the new councillors of MBPJ (Petaling Jaya City Council) to support my comrades who managed to survived the tormenting two weeks of hullabaloo over the appointment of councillors.

It was sort of a mixed feeling – a déjà vu of sorts. I was sworn in end July 2008 about a month late because I was at the time of announcement, in London attending an ACCA meeting, of which I was a Board member. If given the choice I would like to continue as councillor rather than be “promoted” to be an Advisor at State level advising all the 12 local councils in Selangor. The surreptitious and diabolical plan to promote me as an Advisor has now with God’s blessing, turning into something more substantive than a mere advisor. Nevertheless, my Lord has been kind to me and has protected me from the valley of the shadows of death (Psalm 23) and was comforted by Genesis 50v20 when Joseph told his brothers - "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good".

As I was watched the ceremony, I felt saddened that some of my ex-colleagues were not there namely Panneer Selvam, Mohd Halil and Prof Dr Melasutra. Paneer representing Parti Sosialist Malaysia (PSM) was dropped and replaced by a PKR man as reported in the Star today. However, Melasutra though selected, has opted out due to heavy university and family commitments. All of them have served with great distinction and may I on behalf of PJ folks say, “SYABAS”.

In the story of Aladdin, old lamps were exchanged for new lamps and hopefully the new lamps with better LED technology can shine brighter. Five new faces took their oaths namely:
1) Megat Iskandar (business management consultant) - NGO
2) Jeyaseelan T (lawyer) -DAP
3) Tony Cheong Siew Thong (Computer graphics designer) DAP
4) Khairul Anuar (Engineer/Unionist) PKR
5) Kandiah Subramaniam (Trade Unionist).PKR

Most of them are matured and experienced professionals and the perennial challenge facing councillors is whether they can devote more of their time on council work. This is especially true of councillors who are full-time employees or practising professionals and hopefully the new councillors are able to juggle their time better.

I heard the murmurings in the corridors of power in MBPJ that a powerful MP aka as the “puppet master” was trying very hard to lobby for a change of zone for his prodigy. It seems that he asked two senior councillors to swop zones with his prodigy as he felt that he is too young and immature to handle the zone (vacated by me) which is an affluent upper middle class area populated with professionals.

Up to the time of writing, these two councillors refused to swop as they reckoned that if the candidate is not matured enough to be a councillor of MBPJ, then why was he selected in the first place? Isn’t it sad that the “puppet master” placed feudalistic loyalty over the suitability of the candidate and short-changes the PJ rate-payers? Isn't this the same MP who tells BN/UMNO they are incompetent, corrupt and practises cronyism? One would have thought that a new lamp should shine brighter than the older one.

Another story going around was that a senior party member cum councillor has also been lobbying hard to change the service zone apparently he/she cannot serve in the zone within the constituency of the present Adun. Is there another political fallout or sandiwara? Watch out for updates on this in this blog.

An ex-councillor remarked, “Michael, how come you have been replaced by a computer graphic designer in the Audit and Corporate Governance committee which you have founded and spearheaded in MBPJ and Selangor ? He quipped, "maybe your audit reports lack computer graphic design" and he then chuckled.- that speaks volume of the puppet master’s commitment to competency accountability and transparency”

I replied, “In politics, there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies – only permanent interests”. Politicians are all the same on both sides of the political divide, the main objective is self-preservation and the ends justify the means”

At this juncture, I am reminded by this great quote by Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux in a speech to the British House of Commons (Jan 29, 1828).
Education makes a people easy to lead, but difficult to drive;
Easy to govern but impossible to enslave.

Let us continue to support the new councilors and pray that they will uphold the universal values of justice, equality, competency, accountability and transparency and not succumb to temptations and unethical political pressures

May our good Lord continue to bless Malaysia inspite of our inequities.

 

PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive). Our contents are ACCURATE, RELIABLE and THE LATEST. We offer both local and foreign news on animals, disability and the elderly. PET+BLOGSPOT was first established in October 2007. Our hits since then is 45,000 hits and counting. PET+BLOGSPOT is updated daily. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of PETPOSITIVE. You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

In At Last; MBPJ Councillors Poised For Action!

PETPOSITIVE BARKING NEWS!

DATELINE MBPJ HEADQUARTERS, PETALING JAYA:

SWORN IN AT LAST! Sworn in at last! Sworn in at last!

This probably is also sweet music to the ears of many of YOU out there who have been anxiously waiting - and watching - to see take place at the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) since the whole of last week - as far as local councillors are concerned.

Well that vision finally came to pass this afternoon at approximately 3 O'clock. 

Dato Roslan bin Sakiman, Mayor of MBPJ, launched the ceremony by first observing the vow himself - a formal bit of speech that took only a minute to read.

Then, the rest of the 24-councillors in the house, followed suit.

Everyone was present this time unlike in the previous two swearing-in ceremonies after Pakatan took over Selangor.

In our first installment two years ago, Michael Soon was absent as he was overseas. 

Last year, councillors were sworn-in at various stages. 

Yours Truly in that horrid year was sworn in a month later after there reportedly was some hesitancy by some quarters over my reinstatement. 

That ugly situation fortunately turned out to be not so bad after all when I was sworn in eventually. 

As it turned out, I was the only councillor who had a private swearing-in ceremony in the Datuk Bandar's office that was witnessed by a dozen or more councillors.

The swearing-in session today took about 40 minutes in length.

Although it was kind of a ho-hum affair sitting through a ceremony where each one of us had to walk over to the podium in front of the mayor and read our bit, before signing it afterwards, the significance of what was happening kept us together.

I was sworn in at approximately 3.35pm. In my case, I didn't need to move anywhere as everything was brought towards me.

I was blessed with the privilege of shaking the hands and greeting each councillor immediately after their respective swearing-ins. This was because I was seated next to the entrance to the podium where everyone had to pass by me to get to it and back to their seats.

Unlike in my first experience two years ago, this time on my third year, I knew exactly what to expect. I also knew full-well what a councillor has in store for him/her, too.

There are five new faces in the new team. They all seemed pretty friendly and eager to get on with their tasks.

However, I couldn't help feeling a little concerned for them. 

I recall my very first year in the council. There was a lot of learning and feeling my way around first to do before I was able to do my job effectively.

And it didn't take until a good 12-months before I fully got the hang of things.

And I guess, this will be the same for all the new boys too. As a more senior councillor, I would be more than happy to help them out as would my other colleagues, I'm sure.

I must, however, express my total surprise by one of our state assemblyman's recent remark in the newspapers calling to limit the term of councillors.

His argument was apparently so that more people from the "grassroots" can have a chance to be councillors.

Was the good Adun serious? 

A suggestion like that makes me question if he does at all understand what we as local councillors have to go through in order to do our jobs effectively.  

I frankly can think of nothing worse or disastrous than treating the councillors' post like a musical chair.

God forbid should anyone treat it as if it was like a joy ride of some sort in a circus or an airplane! 

As former MBPJ councillor Michael Soon commented in his blog, it's not about quantity BUT ALL ABOUT QUALITY. 

Speaking of Mike by the way, he had my highest respect for turning up at today's event even though his name was "dropped" from the list. 

Mike was a great sport, blending in perfectly with all of us and rekindling the great feeling of old times. 

At our table after the proceedings, Datuk Roslan confirmed that there would be a proper farewell for all the ex councillors whose contributions the mayor valued.  This will be conducted by MBPJ before the fasting month.

But the afternoon wasn't without controversy. There was also even a mystery.

At the table, the councillors regretted that a woman councillor who had apparently turned down the post at the last minute had not been replaced by another woman in view of gender sensitivity. 

As for the mystery factor, the removal of a councillor who represented Parti Socialist Malaysia (PSM) left a big gap as to the party's legitimate equal representation in the council.

Before I left the MBPJ headquarters, I made a quick dash to the office of Sharipah Marhaini, the head of planning in MBPJ. 

As a key player and partner with me to the changes that have happened for the disabled in Petaling Jaya since 2008, we quickly set up a meeting on Tuesday. 

Our focus: to chart the way forward for the handicapped and the elderly in the next one-and-the-half years.

For more news, keep it right here guys!

aNt's aNgle

PET+BLOGSPOT

 
PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive). Our contents are ACCURATE, RELIABLE and THE LATEST. We offer both local and foreign news on animals, disability and the elderly. PET+BLOGSPOT was first established in October 2007. Our hits since then is 45,000 hits and counting. PET+BLOGSPOT is updated daily. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of PETPOSITIVE. You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

MICHAEL SOON: Quality Of Local Councillors More Important Than "Shiok-Sendiri" Ones

SUN Newspaper - 14 July 2010 - Limit Term of Councillors

************************************************************************************
‘LIMIT TERM OF
LOCAL COUNCILLORS’
SHAH ALAM: An assemblyman has suggested that the state government study the possibility of limiting the term of local councillors to inject accountability at all levels of councillorship. The move was to encourage and provide better chances to the grassroots to serve as councillors, Lau Weng San (DAP-Kampung Tunku) said when debating the second supplementary supply bill at the state assembly yesterday.
************************************************************************************

CONGRATULATIONS! I must commend and applaud YB Lau for his call to limit the term of councillors. This is in line with good corporate governance practice worldwide. The issue is how long should be the term and whether they can be reappointed after a term break of say, 2 years. The alternative is to transfer the councillors after x number of years to another council nearby especially if we do not want to lose good and talented councillors.

However, this fine politically correct statement is seriously negated by the reason given ie "The move was to encourage and provide better chances to the grassroots to serve as councillors" This smacks of cronyism which was practised by the BN controlled government. Previously, the appointments were made as a reward for party members and served as a "food chain" to distribute the largesse.

At the 308 General Election, voters rallied round the PR's call of "Change". People cried for compentency, accountability and transparency (CAT ). So have we betrayed the people by appointing people based on party loyalty rather than CAT - just as BN? President Obama's battle cry was "Change that we can believe" NOW can we believe PR/DAP?

The appointment of councillors is governed under Section 10(2) of the Local Government Act 1976 (LGA) which states, inter alia, “Who have achieved distinction in any profession, commerce or industry.

If we analyse the background and CV of the councillors nominated by the PR parties the majority of them DO NOT meet the criteria of "have achieved distinction ..."

I hope YB Lau Weng San could retract the statement because it is not good for his personal image that he is prepared to sacrifice public interest over "shiok sendiri" for party members. Also being a lawmaker himself, he should show good example by following the letter of the law as aforesaid.

Once again I like to thank YB Lau for highlighting the issue but would advise that the more important issue is the "quality" of councillors appointed. Voters want quality councillors and not just party members on a "shiok sendiri" ego trip.

Posted by Truth Seeker at 5:23 AM 0 comments

PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive). Our contents are ACCURATE, RELIABLE and THE LATEST. We offer both local and foreign news on animals, disability and the elderly. PET+BLOGSPOT was first established in October 2007. Our hits since then is 45,000 hits and counting. PET+BLOGSPOT is updated daily. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of PETPOSITIVE. You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

Swearing-In: A Time Of Reckoning For All

aNt's aNgle:

3PM: At approximately this time tomorrow, I will be taking my vows again to become a city councillor of Petaling Jaya (MBPJ), which is in the state of Selangor.

Joining me will be 23 other faces; mostly old, but some new in the 2010 lineup.

This will be my third time of doing so since the year 2008 - a period in time that both sides of the political divide of Pakatan as well as the Barisan will never forget, or want to.

For one side it was an unexpected disaster. And hopefully, the soberest wake-up call to jump back in and become relevant to the people once again.

To the other, only an initial first step to their main target destination: Putrajaya! 

It is here, really where they say that real and wholesome change can finally and truly come about.

As I think about it, I can't help but feel a deep sense of solemnity and urgency about tomorrow's whole affair.

With the prospects of general elections virtually around the corner there really isn't time for any party to doodle around - if they have been doing this previously. 

The earliest, it has been said, will realistically be in the first quarter of next year. The latest, in November 2011. 

Whenever that happens, everyone will have had to gotten out there and have made a difference to the voters. Because they are ultimately our bosses or Yang Berhormats or Yang Berbahagias, if you like.

When I asked members from both parties about what they think their chances at the polls will be, they both say that they are ready. 

But is this just mere optimistic confidence speaking, or is it really the real situation?

As for the local council and MBPJ, in particular, some people claim that there hasn't been any change in MBPJ since a new administration took over.

Perhaps, they are right. 

Especially if it involves something that is directly affecting their lives and they have been unable to change the situation so far with their councillors or state assemblymen.

Or maybe it is just a case of justice delayed (slow-in-coming) rather than justice denied because of the many dreaded red tape situations that are involved with local councils?

As a councillor for over the past two years some situations have been extremely frustrating for me too. 

And there was nothing that I could do about it no matter how hard I tried because of certain factors beyond my control.

Drains and street lights, for example, took weeks, and even months to be repaired because of technical glitches. 

If that wasn't the case, then it was for some legitimate processes that had to be resolved first before help could be dispatched.

In my case, there are still a number of important things that are still pending. And I intend to attend to them - one-by-one - as soon as the swearing-in ceremony is over.

Fortunately for us, this time round, the Santa Claus of local councils have given us an extra six months to work out our days. 

This is certainly an added bonus in our favour as councillors.

Thank you for all of you who have called, SMSed and emailed wishing me all the best for the next term.

It certainly won't be easy for me physically as I've grown two years older now. 

However, on the other side - the mental side, that is, the experience has been tremendously beneficial. 

It serves as an advantage as I'm obviously wiser now about how to get jobs done faster.

I'll be thinking of all of you when I take my vows tomorrow. No issue more than my pet projects for the disabled, elderly and animals, I assure you!

I cherish your support and it is with your prayers and strength that I will be able to carry out my next new term. 

Thanks for reading.

PET+BLOGSPOT

PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive). Our contents are ACCURATE, RELIABLE and THE LATEST. We offer both local and foreign news on animals, disability and the elderly. PET+BLOGSPOT was first established in October 2007. Our hits since then is 45,000 hits and counting. PET+BLOGSPOT is updated daily. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of PETPOSITIVE. You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

Whooppee! It's finally happening on Thursday in MBPJ HQ folks!

aNt's aNgle:

Though I haven't been "served" any official notice yet, it is now crystalised. 

The swearing-in ceremony of the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will take place on Thursday. 

Time: 3pm. 

I received several calls from my councillor colleagues (or should I say "ex" until we all duly get sworn-in again?) informing me of the date. 

Some were very excited about it. 

Others needless to say bittersweet and rather nonchalant especially after what happened at the last time when everything was cancelled at the final hour. 


Well, it's highly unlikely that that disaster will repeat itself but again, one can never tell for sure going by the turn of events, lately.

It's been strongly suggested that there will be five new faces in MBPJ's councillors list.

But again - and I do mean again - I'm not saying anything until I turn up on Thursday to see if it's true or not.

One thing I know for sure is that good ol' Michael Soon who has been confirmed as "dropped from the list" is turning up on Thursday. 


In his true sporting and professional fashion, he says he will be there to give us all his moral support.

No one knows what it takes to be a councillor better than Michael Soon. 


And for me it will be a great privilege and encouragement to see Mike there when I take up my vows. 


And to all of you like J Lim who short messaged and emailed me asking me why there was a delay in the councillors' list, my honest answer is I don't really know the answer to that question. 

What you all read in the newspapers is about what I know too. 

Frankly, at this point, I don't really care anymore. 

What matters now is that we all get on with our jobs.

And heaven knows, there is so much that really needs to be done in the city of Petaling Jaya.

And we can't afford to dilly-dally anymore. 


Warm regards to all!

PET+BLOGSPOT

Tuesday July 13, 2010 (StarMetro)

MB gets memo on NGO councillors

Reports by JADE CHAN and FAZLEENA AZIZ at the Selangor State Assembly

THE Coalition of NGO and Professional Appointed Councillors (Conpac) and Coalition for Good Governance (CGG) have expressed their disappointment over the unfair allocation under the NGO/professional quota for councillors in Selangor in a memorandum handed to Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

Conpac chairman Tan Jo Hann said they were unhappy with the 25% allocation for NGO/professional councillors for the 2010/2011 term.

He said the allocation was also unfair in that many appointees were proxies for political parties.

“NGO councillors are not charitable acts. They are supposed to be non-political and are here to serve the people for a better society,” he said.

In black and white: (From left) Phang and Tan handing over their memorandum to Khalid as Petaling Jaya city councillor Cynthia Gabriel (middle) looks on

He said among the group’s demands were:

·that the state government ensure the 25% allocation is offered to genuine NGOs, academicians and professionals who are not political party members;

·that a platform is established to review and ensure fairer representation in the selection process for NGO councillors, such as by having two CGG representatives involved in the process; and

·that a transparent evaluation system be developed to evaluate NGO/professional councillors and serve as an avenue for said councillors to defend against accusations against them.

CGG chairman Jeffrey Phang said after the March 2008 general election, the public was more keen to be an active participant in ensuring sustainable development in their communities, hence the need for councillors to make decisions that were for the good of the people.

“Politically-linked councillors appointed under the NGO quota will be serving two masters, and it is impossible for them to serve society first,” said Phang, whose organisation is a coalition of some 40 NGOs.

“If you do not respect the NGO quota, you are taking away a ‘voice of conscience’ out of the council.

“The removal of the NGO quota also contradicts good governance principles, as even corporations appoint independent directors to ensure check and balance.”

Asked to comment on the memorandum, Khalid said he appreciated the response by NGOs wanting a positive involvement and their significant contributions to the local councils.

“The state will call for a discussion on the matter of who should be responsible for the appointment of NGO councillors,” he said.

“The state government needs a coordinated group of councillors to ensure the vision and effort to enhance the local government will not be jeopardised as a result of conflict among councillors.

“There have been certain elements of misunderstanding and mistrust over the past two years and this needs to be addressed collectively,” said Khalid.

“It is best that the differences and views be handled in private discussions before making any public decisions, as any debate in public will hinder the progress of activities.”

He then announced that the final list of councillors would be released to the respective local councils by tomorrow at the latest.

He said it was up to the local councils to contact the individual councillors and make the arrangements for the swearing-in.


FEWER NGO COUNCILLORS WORRISOME (Nst Streets)

SHAH ALAM: Those appointed as representatives of non-governmental organisations in local councils must be free of political influence.
As such, these NGO representatives in local councils should not be members of political parties.

This is among the things in a memorandum given to Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim by the Coalition of Non-Governmental and Professional Appointed Councillors (Conpac) and Coalition For Good Governance (CGG).

Conpac president Tan Jo Hann said the memorandum was not a form of demonstration but was instead an enquiry on the status of NGO councillors in all the local councils in Selangor.
Apart from this, Conpac and CGG had also asked for NGOs to be part of the selection process for councillors.

Tan said the memorandum also called for a system of evaluation for the NGOs as part of the democratic selection process.

He claimed some of the former councillors who performed well were dropped in the new term because they were seen as obstructing project approvals that were taking place in a council.

Both Conpac and CGG urged the state government to reveal the list of names of all the councillors appointed under the promised 25 per cent NGO quota.

"We want the NGO's professional expertise listed for the review of CGG. There should also be a proper evaluation of the assessment of those NGOs and professionals whose names have been dropped from the present list.

"This will enable a free and fair chance for them to defend themselves. There should also be a transparent assessment system jointly developed by CGG to evaluate the appointed NGOs," said Tan.

CGG chairman Jeffrey Phang said NGOs no longer want to be passive observers.

He claimed while the Petaling Jaya City Council retained its NGO quota for the third term, the Shah Alam City and Subang Jaya and Klang municipal councils had their NGO quota taken over by political appointees.

He also claimed there were no NGO councillors in smaller councils such as the Kuala Selangor Municipal Council.

Phang said there had also been no evidence produced by the state government to show the public that councillors were selected based on merit and past performance.

He added that there were concerns that some NGO representatives were removed without good reason.

The memorandum, while commending the state for creating a wider space for expression and tabling the Freedom of Information Bill, has taken a step backward by removing the NGO councillors.

"While 75 per cent of the quota was allocated to political appointees, the 25 per cent (allocated for NGOs) serves as the conscience for councils' decisions by virtue of the independent standing of the NGO councillors.

"NGO councillors by definition maintain their independence and base their decisions solely on what benefits the people. NGOs' decisions are not subject to influence by political party pressure," said Phang.

Petaling Jaya Councillor Cynthia Gabriel, who was also present when the memorandum was handed to Khalid yesterday, said the Subang Jaya Municipal Council had seven NGO councillors last term but there were only three in the new term.

"We just want to know why the numbers were reduced," she said.

Khalid, while saying he appreciated the response from the NGOs and understands that they want efficient management, said he wanted them to stop debating the issue in public.

"We found out that in the past term there were misunderstandings between the NGOs and some political appointees. However, there is always a need to address a matter collectively," he said.

The menteri besar said the full list of councillors was ready and they would be sworn in either today or tomorrow.

Read more: Fewer NGO councillors worrisome http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/2cno/Article#ixzz0tY7vBvQv

   
PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive). Our contents are ACCURATE, RELIABLE and THE LATEST. We offer both local and foreign news on animals, disability and the elderly. PET+BLOGSPOT was first established in October 2007. Our hits since then is 45,000 hits and counting. PET+BLOGSPOT is updated daily. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of PETPOSITIVE. You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

Clouds Over Councillors' Issue Starting To Clear

aNt's aNgle:

Things started to significantly pick up late afternoon, yesterday, when Malaysiakini - quoting the Selangor Chief Minister Tan Sri Khalid - declared that councillors in the state will be sworn-in starting from Wednesday.

What a relief it was to hear this. 

So one can safely assume that work in the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will be back to normal latest from next Monday onwards, if not sooner.

I'm just taking it by faith that I'm still under the Chosen Ones' list. Frankly, I just can't wait to get cracking.

The first thing that I have to do is to stop by at the PJ Civic Centre where work is underway to make the building more accessible to people with disabilities. 

I've was informed by MBPJ's Engineering Department last week that the new and improved access ramp leading into the auditorium is now ready for installation. 

They are just waiting for me to give them the go-ahead. This will only happen after I visit the place and check it out.

The ramp is just one of a number of features in the building that is going to be made fully wheelchair-friendly soon.

Other projects that I intend to jump in on straightaway are my ongoing plans with the disability and canine committees that I head.

One of the new things which I also wish to take on is to focus on the pedestrian crossings around my zone and elsewhere. 

I will be pushing for more emphasis on the right of people to walk from one place to another instead of only concentrating on people who travel by their personal vehicles. 

There are already several residents' issues that are waiting to be solved. That can only happen as soon as work starts for me in MBPJ. 

I asked my people to wait a little while longer until the all-important ceremony is over and done with.

Meanwhile, my crystal ball seems to point to a Thursday or Friday when I believe the swearing-in ceremony will take place in MBPJ. 

If true, this will leave me with plenty of time over the weekend to strategise what this and the next year will be like.

In the meantime, yesterday was a fireworks of sorts when a couple of nongovernmental bodies complained about the selection process of the NGO councillors by the state government. 

I leave you with coverage of that development by Malaysiakini, the well-known news portal on the Internet of which I subscribed to:

 

NEW LIST OF SELANGOR COUNCILLORS OUT BY JOSEPH SIPALAN

The Selangor state government has already issued its new list of councillor appointments and expects them to be sworn in by their respective local councils by Wednesday at the latest, said Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim.

He said that it is not the state's intention to reduce the 25 percent quota for NGOs and professionals on local councils, but stressed that there have been quite a few teething problems in maintaining the quota.

Khalid (left) acknowledged the contributions made by NGOs and professionals on the local councils, but pointed out that there has been a lot of "misunderstanding and mistrust" between them and political appointees.

"There are always public discussions on the differences in views, which we thought would be best handled in a private discussion before we go public on these decisions and opinions," he said at a press conference at the state assembly.

"Debating in public, just like in our political experience, will hinder the progress of the activities we are doing."

Earlier, two NGO coalitions had demanded that the Selangor government live up to its principles and uphold the 25 percent quota for NGOs and professional representation on local councils.

The Coalition for Good Governance (CGG) and Coalition of NGO and Professional Appointed Councillors (Conpac) claim that the state government has back-tracked on its election promise of transparency and engagement with civil society.

CGG chair Jeffrey Phang said the state executive council's refusal to allow CGG to vet the latest list of councillor appointments was akin to cutting the public out of the decision-making process.

"This current issue of the appointment of local councillors is a watershed of the state's commitment towards local council elections," he said at a press conference after presenting a memorandum to Khalid.

"It will be plain for the public to now judge the credibility of the state government by the steps they will take to resolve this issue."

Conpac chair Tan Jo Hann called on Khalid and state exco member for Local Government Ronnie Liu to arrange for an immediate meeting to discuss the lack of uniformity among local councils in upholding the quota.

"Although the Selangor government had clearly announced the 25 percent quota for NGOs and professional candidates, in reality the present list of appointments is a far cry from the promise," he said.

NGO COUNCILLORS DECRY 'HIJACKED' SEATS BY LEVEN WOON:       

The Selangor state government came under fire today as NGO councillors questioned the validity of political appointees in NGO-designated slots and demanded the list of NGO councillors in all local councils be revealed immediately.

Coalition for NGO and Professional Appointed Councillors (CONPAC) chairman Tan Jo Hann said he is disappointed over the significant reduction of NGO councillors in the new lineup, claiming 25 percent of the councillor quota allocated was ‘hijacked’ by political appointees.

“In MPSJ, the number of NGO and professional councillors has been reduced to three now from seven in 2008.

In Kuala Selangor district council, even the only NGO councillor was axed,” Tan said in a statement handed to the Selangor menteri besar at the state secretariat today.

“If the eliminated councillors are not performing their duties, their assessment should be revealed so the decision will not be seen as arbitrary.”

The councillor lineup announcement last Tuesday was fraught with controversy when some names featured were changed the day after.  A scheduled swearing-in ceremony was canceled in the eleventh hour, believed due to last-minute lobbying and politicking.

The Selangor state government on Friday released an amended version of the lineup and set July 20 as the swearing-in date.

Meanwhile Coalition for Good Governance chairman Jeffrey Phang urged the state government to remain true to its election promises of good governance.

“While MBPJ retained their NGO quota, Shah Alam Municipal Council (MBSA) and MPSJ have their NGO quotas taken over by political appointees.

“We commend the state for tabling the Freedom of Information Act, however we would caution that the removal of NGO councillors is a step backward,” he said.

Phang said that the NGO appointees served as the conscience for the council’s decisions, by virtue of their non-partisanship.

CGG, which comprises over 40 NGOs, also observed a shift in now recruiting ‘yes-men’ as councillors who have no proven merits.

Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim when responding to the two NGO’s statements said the state would hold discussions with them.

Tan meanwhile plans to seek an audience with Khalid before the councillors are sworn-in.


PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive). Our contents are ACCURATE, RELIABLE and THE LATEST. We offer both local and foreign news on animals, disability and the elderly. PET+BLOGSPOT was first established in October 2007. Our hits since then is 45,000 hits and counting. PET+BLOGSPOT is updated daily. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of PETPOSITIVE. You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

MBPJ Councillors' Swearing-In Very Soon

aNt's aNgle:
 

So Reba, my amazing sheltie and Paul the octopus got it right. 

Spain emerged winner as expected at last over extra time play in this morning's FIFA 2010 finals, finishing the Netherlands off with a 1-0 score in Johannesburg, South Africa. 

Whilst the Dutch still remain in denial (pix left), BBC World Service radio from London described Spain as the truly deserving victors of the World Cup season.

Even though it was a delightful game, no doubt, I still cheated a bit when I switched channels to watch the X-Men during some boring parts of the game.

As the dust settles in South Africa, be sure to read Wheel Power in The Star this Thursday where I'll be sharing with your two interesting stories about how the disabled enjoyed the FIFA season. 

On another note, speculation is rife that the swearing-in ceremony of MBPJ councillors will take place this week. 

Everyone is guessing that it could happen anytime from Wednesday onwards. It could easily even take place during the weekends. 

If it does take place on a Saturday or a Sunday, I am told that it would be a first for the local council. 

Fingers crossed, everybody!

Lastly, here is Petpositive's statement on the formation of the new animal welfare group myZoo which is printed in today's The Star's Letter's page:

Monday July 12, 2010

Thumbs-up for animal welfare coalition

PETPOSITIVE is thrilled with the formation of an animal welfare coalition on July 6.

Called myZoo, it aims to tackle issues faced by animals in zoological gardens around the country.

Zoos have played an integral and indispensable role in educating people about wildlife around the globe. By bringing us close to wild and exotic animals, they have provided us a wealth of information about them.

Through our close encounters with these animals, we have learnt the importance of the need to respect, protect and most important of all, keep their species from becoming extinct.

Some zoological gardens like the San Diego Zoo in the United States have played a pivotal role in saving animals such as the Californian condors from becoming extinct.

Zoos in Malaysia, however, have come under scathing attacks by animal advocates, as well as the public for their mistreatment of some of the animals under their care.

There have been cases of some outfits being more concerned about the financial entertainment value of animals under their care than the rights of such animals to health, freedom and proper care.

Therefore, it is most timely that myZoo has been set up. Petpositive hopes that myZoo will quickly become a powerful watchdog group, amongst others, to keep all the zoological gardens in Malaysia in check for possible animal abuse and neglect.

We also hope that zoos across the country, on their part, will cooperate fully with myZoo by working with them to improve the quality of lives of all animals kept in our zoos.

ANTHONY THANASAYAN,
President,
Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive), Kuala Lumpur.
 
PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive). Our contents are ACCURATE, RELIABLE and THE LATEST. We offer both local and foreign news on animals, disability and the elderly. PET+BLOGSPOT was first established in October 2007. Our hits since then is 45,000 hits and counting. PET+BLOGSPOT is updated daily. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of PETPOSITIVE. You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

Ex MBPJ Councillor Michael Soon Launches His Blog

aNt's aNgle: Michael Soon Kwai Choy who served as Petaling Jaya City Councillor (MBPJ) for the past two years, launched his brand new blog last night. 

It is simply called Michael Soon. 

I was privileged to be the first person to read it and also to have added my comments in his blog.

Michael (second from left) was one of the councillors to give his staunch backing to have the first-ever animal-assisted therapy centre in PJ called the Petpositive Therapy Centre which is run by the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association or Petpositive.  

Here are the words that I keyed into Michael's blog last night:

"Dearest Michael, congratulations for setting up your long-awaited blog.

Finally, Malaysians and the world now have a rare and splendid chance to take a peek into your deepest thoughts and what makes your heart tick about the myriad of issues in high places as well as in ordinary lives.

You have been a great pal over the past two years in MBPJ as Councillor where I first got to know you.

I will never forget how we first met. It was you that came up and spoke to me.

I have learnt so, so much from you over the past 24-months.

The most important about integrity. 

I mentioned this out loud to everyone in my parting speech at our last Full Board meeting in MBPJ.

The area in which I will remember you most as Councillor in MBPJ is how you tried hard to maintain the professionalism in how we did things in the council.

You were like an unrelenting compass, reminding us constantly about the course and causes in which we need to take and keep our focus on.

When it was time to speak, you were never afraid to speak up.

And when you did, you almost always brought up different perspectives in our debates, helping all who heard you speak to see things from a bigger picture.

As a council, we all looked up to you in matters relating to accountability and good governance.

And although we had our differences on several points, I could never get upset or angry with you for long.

That is because anybody who knows you know that you are always a man with a great passion not only for the things you believe and say; but more importantly, for the things that you do.

Dear Michael, I wish you all the best in the next chapter of your exciting life and the start of your new blog.

I know that as its popularity increases, more and more people will stream into your blog. I know that I definitely will.

That's all, my dear friend. Have a blast!"

PET+BLOGSPOT

Here is Michael Soon's blog's maiden entry: 

Friday, July 9, 2010

Turbulent Times

Firstly, I wish to thank my friend Anthony Siva Balan who has been a great encourager for me to start my personal blog. I have had previously started two other blogs but never felt compelled to share my thoughts on cyberspace.

Anthony is a friend whom I met when I served in the MBPJ as a councillor from July 2008 until 6 July 2010. At a Selangor State function on Tuesday 6 July 2010, the Selangor Menteri Besar, YAB Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim announced that I have been dropped as a councillor but "promoted" to become an Advisor in a State level 20 man-Advisory committee for councillors.

As reported in the national press, it was rather a bittersweet feeling for me. I was happy that my contributions as a councillor have been recognised by the MB himself but had the sad feeling of leaving behind the councillor post in MBPJ. In my sojourn in MBPJ, I have made many friends whom I have never met before I became a councillor. There are too many to list here but nevertheless, Derek, Anthony, Latheefa, Cynthia, Chan, Robert, Francis, Tang, Ahmad Yusof, Rama, Muz and Richard have all become bosom friends.

I met up with MB last Wed 7th July, and had a fruitful discussion with him on the role of an Advisor and the Advisory Committee. I have been tasked to draw up the terms of reference of the Advisory Committee and recommend changes to be made to strengthen this commitee.

Why did I call this period "Turbulent Times?" In the viccitudes of my life, I have been through a lot and the last three weeks have been extremely challenging. It was a period filled with intrigues, jealousies, betrayals and a great symphony of orchestrated lies but I was comforted by great heroes and heroine who came to my aid. Being a professional and not a politician, I was not used to the dirty business of politicking and experienced first hand the meaning of "the end justify the means".

I was reminded by Genesis 50v20 when Joseph told his brothers - "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good". I will be entering a new phase of my life and as usual will give my all to public service in competency, accountability and transparency. I will be walking with trepidations but am assured that the Lord will be walking with me.

The Truth will set us free.

(Note: Michael Soon's blog address is www.michaelsoonkc.blogspot.com 
You may also CLICK HERE to get there.) 


PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive). Our contents are ACCURATE, RELIABLE and THE LATEST. We offer both local and foreign news on animals, disability and the elderly. PET+BLOGSPOT was first established in October 2007. Our hits since then is 45,000 hits and counting. PET+BLOGSPOT is updated daily. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of PETPOSITIVE. You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

Media Frenzy Over Councillors' Confusion

aNt's aNgle: 

STILL NO NEWS is the best way that I can put it regarding the swearing in ceremony of MBPJ councillors that was supposed to take place yesterday.


It's 3.30pm and I haven't had a call or received a letter. However, I do know that the wait can't be very long from now. 

We could hear something by this evening, tomorrow or Sunday. And I hope, the very latest by Monday.

Regardless, it is business as usual for me as far as I am concerned.

I received a call this morning by a resident in my zone complaining about a neighbour that has been driving her up the wall.

"Their home appears to be a breeding ground for mosquitoes; they park their cars indiscriminately blocking me from going out," she said irately. 

"What's worse, someone inside is constantly at the drums driving my elderly mum insane." She added. 

I added that there was nothing much that I can do for her at this time as I was awaiting to be reinstalled as councillor again. 

However, I did put her to the right person to talk to at the health department of MBPJ and also suggested that she talk to the local police station for further advise. 

This was after I asked her if she could talk to her neighbour directly about the problem. Her reply was an emphatic "NO" as her neighbour wishes to have nothing to do with her. 

Once in as councillor, I might have to consider playing a mediator between the two in order to try and come up with the most amicable solution.

Until then, poor grandma will just have to put up with the din for a bit. 

aNt 
PET+BLOGSPOT

Here are more stories in the media regarding the delay in the swearing-in of councillors for your reading pleasure:

New Straits Times Press, Streets writer Sheila Sri Priya:

 
SWEARING IN CEREMONIES HALTED, REASON UNKNOWN

PETALING JAYA: The swearing-in ceremonies of local councillors in Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya were abruptly stopped at the eleventh hour yesterday.
Both the councils were preparing for their respective ceremonies when they were told by the Selangor government early yesterday morning to postpone them until further notice.

The official appointment of the councillors at Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) was to have been held at 10.30am while the councillors of Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) were to have been sworn in at 9.30am.

MPSJ declined to comment on the issue.

"We have been told by the state government to postpone the swearing-in ceremony until further notice. We cannot issue any statement because it is a sensitive issue," said an MPSJ spokesman.

It is understood that many were unhappy with the list of councillors released by Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim on Tuesday night.

Several changes were made to the list by the state government the following day -- the last day of the councillors' term.

It is now learnt that the state government is considering making more changes to the list, thus necessitating the cancellation of the oath-taking ceremonies.

Selangor executive councillor for Tourism, Consumer Affairs and the Environment Elizabeth Wong, however, said there was nothing unusual about the postponement of the swearing-in ceremonies.

"I don't see anything wrong in the postponing of the ceremony. There are just some technical issues that need to be ironed out. I wouldn't read too much into it," she said.

Several councillors were left in the lurch yesterday when they turned up at MBPJ and MPSJ headquarters dressed in their best.

T. Anthony, who was to take his oath for a third term as an MBPJ councillor yesterday, turned up for the ceremony and found another councillor there.

The wheelchair-bound 50-year-old said he was overjoyed when he received a phone call on Wednesday evening informing him that he had retained his seat.

But his excitement turned into embarrassment when he reached MBPJ, all dressed up in formal attire, and was told that the ceremony had been cancelled.

Anthony, apparently, did not receive the phone text message sent out by the council yesterday informing the councillors that the ceremony had been cancelled.

Anthony joked that for once, he wished he was not disabled because then he could have just "run away and hide".

Due to his disability, Anthony had to wake up at 5am as it took him a longer time to get dressed than able-bodied people.

"The council's SMS (short messaging service) of the cancellation of the ceremony did not reach me. I am not blaming anyone for the miscommunication. However, I wish someone had called and informed me about the news.

"I (had been) very excited and was looking forward to my third term as a councillor," he said.

StarMetro, Central. 

Friday July 9, 2010

List of councillors is out but some shocked over last-minute omission

By YIP YOKE TENG, THO XIN YI and FAZLEENA AZIZ
metro@thestar.com.my

THE last-minute cancellation of the swearing-in ceremonies for the Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya councillors yesterday has sparked speculation that the list is not final and was still subject to changes. Councillors making their way to the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MBSJ) yesterday morning were informed that the ceremonies were postponed until further notice.

Both councils said the cancellation was made following a directive from the state government.
State local government, study and research committee chairman Ronnie Liu did not res­pond to queries from StarMetro on the reason why the swearing-in ceremony for both MBPJ and MPSJ were called off at the eleventh hour.

Teng: ‘Selection process of councillors is still far from the standard of CAT’

Meanwhile, there was frustration when the list of councillors for the 2010/11 term was revised and several names were changed after the list was released to the media by Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim on Tuesday night at a function at the Petaling Jaya Civic Centre.

However, the following day the Mentri Besar’s office emailed a new list at 5pm where several names were dropped and replaced with other names. There were also a few names which were not in the the first list but somehow made it into the amended list.

The updated list had names, contact numbers, educational background, occupation and home addresses of the councillors.

The list was also incomplete as MBPJ, Shah Alam City Council and Klang Municipal Council had one councillor short instead of the usual 24 members.

Mohd Sany Hamzan: Made MPKj councillor

The state government’s explanation was that there was insufficient information on the newly-appointed councillors and as such their names were left out.

The missing information appear more questionable when Selangor state assembly Speaker Teng Chang Kim tweeted that the “selection process of councillors is still far from the standard of CAT (Competency, Account­ability and Transparency)”.

When contacted, he said the selection process should be done before a committee of the state assembly.
He suggested a similar process as the appointment of supreme judges or senior officers to allow transparency and enable people to evalu­ate the candidates’ competency and capability.

“Through this method we can ascertain the qualities and qualification of these councillors under the watchful eyes of the media as well as the public.

“This will also comply with CAT without the unnecessary waiting game that took place,” he said.
Judging from how the councillors from the previous term surrounded the reporters at Civic Centre to check out the list, it was obvious that they were not informed about their appointments beforehand.

Santokh Singh: Made MPSp councillor

It was a shock for MPSJ’s Dr Loi Kheng Min (NGO, representing Transparency International Malaysia), as he was initially dropped in the first list but appeared in the amended list.

“The councillors were not notified about the appointment. I only know that I made it back when MPSJ called me on Wednesday at 4.30pm to attend the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday,” he said.

Over in MBPJ, something tricky happened with the appointment of new councillors as a name, supposedly the one that caused controversy, was taken out at the eleventh hour.

The council saw four councillors dropped - two from DAP, one from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and the other from the Sosialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) who was also a member of the NGO Jerit (Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas).

The initial list announced saw four new names — Jeyaseelen T. Anthony and Tony Cheong Siew Thong from DAP, Selangor and Petaling Jaya Utara Keadilan Youth chief Khairul Anuar Ahmad Zainuddin as well as Kandiah Subramaniam who is also from PKR.

With some politicians commenting that it was unfair that another PKR member was appointed for a seat not meant for them, Kandiah Subramaniam’s name was taken out from the amended list that was sent out to the media on Wednesday.

When contacted yesterday, Kandiah confirmed that he was a member of PKR and refused to comment further because he did not get his appointment letter.

Dr Loi: Name in amended list

Former councillor Panneerselvam Varathan, from PSM and who is also an NGO member, explained that they were in the midst of filling in the position under the PSM quota.

“Initially it did seem that PSM was not part of the line up but it was revised later,” he said when contacted.
In MPSJ, some were not happy with the appointment of NGO councillors and were shocked that two-term councillor Theresa Ratnam Thong was dropped.

Subang Jaya Residents Association (SJRA) chairman A.S. Gill said he is disappointed that Theresa, who was a good councillor, was not reappointed.

“The criteria for selecting or dropping the councillors should be made known to the public,” he said.

Sivakumar Periasamy: New face in MPSp

MPSJ councillor Tan Jo Hann, who is the protem chairman of Coalition of NGO and Professional Councillors, said they had no say in selecting the NGO representatives.

“We have been negotiating with the Selangor Mentri Besar and Liu to involve us in the selection process. We are not saying that our suggestion must be accepted but rather let us be part of the process and then the state can have the final say,” he said.

He added that the ultimate solution is to have the local government election and let the people decide on the representatives they want.

Some councillors were also unhappy that some candidates appointed under the NGO quota were in fact political party members.

Jaberi Ami said although he is a PKR member he was also a member of the Malaysian Institute of Planners. Azizan Jamaluddin, on the other hand, is the Kelana Jaya Wanita PKR chief as shown on the PKR Selangor website.

She declined to comment when contacted.

To this, Selangor senior state exco member Teresa Kok said it was true that some political parties had put their members in the NGO quota because “too many candidates wanted to be councillors”.

“They put the Mentri Besar and Pakatan leaders under a lot of pressure. Frankly speaking, some NGO representatives are PKR, DAP or PAS members, too, but we cannot label them as purely party representatives because they are also activists in certain NGOs,” she said, adding that she felt that not all NGO representatives’ performance in local councils had been up to expectations.

“Some are mature in handling the cases but some have been making the people suffer or even cause delay in approval of projects. That has created resentment or questions among some party people towards the NGO representatives,” she said, but added that she still felt that the NGO quota should be maintained in the councils.

Komunitikini (Malaysiakini) Stories by writer Leven Woon:

THERESA NOMINATED TO ADVISORY COUNCIL


MPSJ outgoing councillor Theresa Ratnam Thong has been nominated by Subang assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh to be the member of the new local government advisory council.

Hannah said she submitted Theresa’s name right after she found out about the forming of this new body on Tuesday night.

“Based on her experience, she will be an asset for the 20-member council. I strongly hope that she will be (included),” Hannah said during a press conference at her service centre yesterday.

Theresa, on the other hand, declined to comment on the nomination, whose final lineup is expected to come out in due time.

“Let (the authorities) decide,”

The high-profile NGO councillor for JKP Zone 1 did not make the list of MPSJ councillors for the 2010/2011 term.

“NGO councillor, but recommended by political parties”

Meanwhile another NGO councillor told Komunitikini about the ‘curious’ NGO councillor selection process.

“There are 25 percent quotas set for NGO councillors in every council, which means six out of 24 councillors will be from NGO backgrounds.

“But in fact we are not chosen directly by the top brass. In fact, each Pakatan Rakyat party is asked to recommend two names,” the councillor who prefers anonymity said.

“Many of them think we (NGO members) are talking too much and obstructing their space in the councillor seats.

“So each Pakatan party will nominate those they favour. Even better if they can find an NGO member in their parties.

“We are very frustrated. We are treated and assessed in a very unfair manner.”

MBPJ NGO councillor Derek Fernandez said the only fair system is to rehold local council elections.
“Any system under the current context will surely breeds favoritism and bias,” he said.

NGO COUNCILLORS QUESTION NEED FOR ADVISORY COUNCIL 

The new local government advisory council drew flak among NGO councillors as they claimed it will serve as nothing but another layer of bureaucracy.

MBPJ councillor Derek Fernandez said the 20-member advisory body is a toothless tiger because there is no legal provision to empower them to act.

He said that as an administrative committee whose role was merely advisory, there was no guarantee the state executive council would take the ‘advice’.

“DBKL also set up an advisory council, but it just functions like a rubber stamp,” he said.

Coalition of NGO and Professional Appointed Councillors (Conpac) chairman and MPSJ newly-retained councillor Tan Jo Hann questioned the weight the advisory body will carry.

“The local council is empowered by the Local Government Act, in which (no one could intervene) with our (decision making) , even Ronnie Liu (state exco member).

“If they just give advice, it is very hard (for the body) to be (of substance).”

Council created to facilitate agendas

The new local government advisory council was announced by Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim last night as an independent body to facilitate the agendas of local councils.

The State has appointed Sharifuddin Budin, Abdul Rahman Moharam and Michael Soon to develop the council’s team members, headed by Ronnie Liu.

Khalid said the council advising the state can help look at things from a macro perspective and pave the way to local elections.

Derek rubbished the claim as he said the local councillors do have the capability of making well-rounded judgment.

“We have been here for two years. We know how to see things from a macro perspective, but the biggest weakness underlying eachcouncil now is their inability to implement the policies quickly.

“For examples the MBPJ councillors has tabled the billboard policy. But we can’t get the contractor to take down their billboards because they refuse to.

“Let say if a resident see a pothole. They call in to ask for repairs, but our contractors are not responsive.

“That’s why we don’t need any more advice; this is the time for action.”

He said rather than forming the body, MBPJ councillors have been calling for the appointment of a chief operating officer (COO) and full time councillors.

“The persons will get paid to implement all the policies, respond to requests quickly and revamp the PR machinery to disseminate information.”

Tan too cannot see any logic of the advisory body helping to bring in local council election.

“The CGG (Coalition for Good Governance) was commissioned by the state government to look at ways to implement local council elections. We submitted our feedback early last year but were told by the MB that they must get the parties’ top brass to brainstorm.

“We waited for some time. We even called Anwar Ibrahim, but there was no formal reply.

“There is a strong need for local elections and a Freedom of Information Act. In what sense can an advisory body help facilitate (that)?”

He said it would be better to have a panel that consist of experts from various fields such as legal, engineering or environment to advise the state.

“Unless they are apolitical, then we can expect something,”

The final appointment of the advisory council members will be announced by the state exco in due time, with many former councillors expected to be nominated.

Meanwhile the new batch of councillors of 12 local councils are expected to be sworn in by this week.

PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive). Our contents are ACCURATE, RELIABLE and THE LATEST. We offer both local and foreign news on animals, disability and the elderly. PET+BLOGSPOT was first established in October 2007. Our hits since then is 45,000 hits and counting. PET+BLOGSPOT is updated daily. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of PETPOSITIVE. You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my