As I go through the autumn of my years and am writing this on a cool summer day amidst the flora and fauna of the beautiful English garden, my mind starts to reminisce about my sojourn as a councillor in MBPJ.
It was a wonderful two years as I made many good friends amongst the councillors, staff and management. However it would be better if I had another one more year to implement other ground-breaking initiatives in MBPJ.
I am rather pleased that the Independent Audit and Corporate Governance Committee, Quick Response Team and Unit Aduan Salahlaku (Wrongdoing Complaint Unit) were implemented during my tenure of office. But certain DAP political leaders for reasons best known to them, have other ideas to “promote” me to become an advisor for the yet-to-be formed Selangor Local Government Advisory Council.
It would be nicer if I could have completed the final report on the investigation of low cost flats allegedly “stolen” by 500 MBPJ staff. An interim report had been submitted to the Selangor Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) and the whole state Exco members. The interim report has shown that little knowledge is dangerous and in the hands of a misguided person would prove disastrous to the morale of the staff. The accusation implied that one-third of the staff in MBPJ are crooks! The Brits here would say, “Oh! Blimey – what a baloney?”
Without going through the gory details, it could be possible for 5 staff to collude and steal 5 low cost flats for themselves. For 50 staff to do that would be near impossible. It would be ludicrous to believe that 500 staff could have colluded and executed such a big scam without the previous government knowing it? Initial investigation has now shown there is prima facie evidence that the accusation could be just another storm in a tea cup.
It is sad that after my “promotion”, no DAP-nominated councillor was present in the last two audit committee meetings. Of course tongues went wagging that my replacement had wanted to exchange portfolio with another councillor. Anyone would expect that when you exchange an old lamp for a new one – it would shine brighter. It is even more surprising that a party that preaches to all and sundry about CAT – Competency, Accountability and Transparency would allow such folly to happen and it speaks volume of the competency of certain party leaders in Selangor.
The Unit Aduan Salahlaku a whistleblower-type of protection system for informers and complainants was approved in the dying days of my council term. I proposed it should be further enhanced by having an independent Ombudsman to oversee the system. The NEAC after meeting Derek Fernandez (top lawyer n fellow councillor) and me last month will be recommending this to be implemented in all BN controlled states.
There are three more initiatives which have yet to be implemented. The Polis Bantuan (or Auxiliary Police) program to help fight crime in PJ which has been rejected by the Polis but appeal had been made to the Minister of Home Affairs. Hopefully, if we get a new IGP, the proposal will see the light of the day.
My most passionate program is the 3-strike rule for improving the cleanliness of restaurants and eateries in PJ. There is a huge clamour for better hygienic eateries in PJ and the whole of Selangor. The system even allows for 2 appeals. If implemented, MBPJ will be the first council in Malaysia to allow an appeal on its summons issued to eateries. The 3-strike rule is actually 3 strikes of the SAME offence committed within a calendar year. The public health of 650,000 residents in PJ should override the commercial interests of eateries. Most restaurants would be able to comply as only serious offences such as typhoid injections for food handlers are counted as an offence in the 3 strike-rule. Hopefully, the State government and political leaders will listen to voices of the people and uphold public hygiene.
To improve security I had proposed backstreet lighting to provide a brighter area to assist in mitigating the crime situation. MBPJ has yet to fully implement the plan.
In my last posting in my blog entitled – “DEJA VU IN MBPJ” I wrote this - 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
Good news and bad news on this
Good news is that the matter is now settled and the bad news is that it was settled one month late. Residents of my former zone 5 were without a councillor since the last council term ended on July 5, 2010. Imagine it was not even settled at the last council meeting on 28th July – what a mess!
As narrated earlier, the puppet master tried to convince another party leader to swop zone with his prodigy because it seems he could not speak proper English and too young for the matured upper middle class and English speaking suburbs of Damansara Jaya and Damansara Utama.
Whatever it is the new prodigy would still be a better candidate than a disgraced lawyer earlier appointed by the puppet master. The aforesaid abortive attempt has become a twitter war between two strong DAP leaders. Watch this space for an update on that as the DAP Disciplinary hearing is on Thursday 12 August 2010. It is never a dull day in Malaysia!
Luckily, we have good DAP national leaders who intervened and removed the disgraced lawyer in the nick of time about 6 hours before the announcement of the list of councillors. Otherwise it would be a big embarrassment to the PR government in general and to DAP in particular. Someone remarked, “DAP young and highly educated leaders appear to have a warped value system of competency, accountability and transparency”. Beats me – politicians are the same all over the world – self-preservation and self-interest override people’s interest
I am glad that Terrance Tan has now taken over my Zone 5 in place of the prodigy. Terrance with one year councillor’s experience, a sales background and English speaking would be more suitable for the zone and I wish him well. Both DJROA and DUROA are very active residents’ associations and DJROA has won the Best Neighbourhood award during my tenure and they deserve the best. Terrance will co-share the Zone 5, with the venerable PAS leader Tuan Haji Ahmad Yusof.
So the saga ends, ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL – DID IT?
Will it be a “NEVER ENDING STORY” Meanwhile, I continue to enjoy my afternoon tea and scones with clotted cream.
Picture shows me taking my grand-daughter for a walk near London UK - it's me that needs the walk haha!
