Local Government like MPSJ should be elected - Free Seminar not to be missed

[pcyeoh]

PUBLIC FORUM:
Restore Our Third Vote

For forty years, Malaysians have been deprived the right to elect our
local councilors after the government’s decision to suspend local
government elections on 1 March 1965.

As a result, ratepayers have had to put up with the substandard
services of local councils which are largely inefficient, ineffective
and unaccountable.

Isn’t it ridiculous that Malaysians can select and decide on our Prime
Minister at the Federal level and Chief Minister at the State level
but have no right to elect our councilors?

It is time we demand the return of our third vote to ensure democracy
at the grassroots level. Come and find out more how we can press for
greater accountability and transparency of our local councils.


Date: Sunday, 13 March 2005
Time: 9.00am-1.00pm
Venue: Federal Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

Speakers:

1) Dr Goh Ban Lee (academician, Universiti Sains Malaysia)

2) Ramdas Tikamdas (human rights advocate)

3) Dr P. Ramasamy (academician, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia)

4) Dr Nasir Hashim (President, Parti Sosialis Malaysia)

5) YB Tan Kok Wai (Member of Parliament for Cheras)

6) Lim Guan Eng (Secretary General, DAP)

Admission: Free

For inquiries, please contact Carmen/John at 03-79578022.
Visit http://www.the3rdvote.org

[Joe Gomez]

Thanks for info, pc.
Sounds good ..... will be there.

[headache]

Thanks, PC. I should be there, if nothing untoward happens to be at 3 am in the morning.

[ivanhow]

Today, the Sun reports: http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=8201

No plans to bring back local council elections
B. Suresh Ram
KUALA LUMPUR: The government has no intention to re-introduce local government elections that were frozen in 1965, Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Azizah A.P. Mohd Muin said.

Replying to a question from Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamad (BN-Pulai), she said the decision to cease holding local government elections was based on the Athi Nahappan Commission Report.

"Under section 15 of the Local Government Act, there is also a provision for local government elections to be ceased," she said.

Azizah said that because there are 144 local authorities in Malaysia, there would be various implications, including costs, time and manpower, if there is a move to hold such elections.

Although local government elections are no longer held, a local authority council is established under section 10 of the Local Government Act to promulgate, plan and implement the policies in a local authority area.

Through this, the ministry believes the council members appointed by the state government would be able to play an effective role.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw (DAP-Kepong) interjected, saying "40 years without such a democratic right is too long" and asked if the government would establish a new commission to review its decision not to hold such elections.

To this, Azizah said the government is of the view that there is no need to establish a new commission.

The government's move to review the effectiveness and efficiency of the role played by the local authorities is sufficient," she said.


Updated: 12:46AM Thu, 31 Mar 2005

[headache]

PUBLIC FORUM:

Date: Sunday, 13 March 2005
Time: 9.00am-1.00pm
Venue: Federal Hotel, Kuala Lumpur


Visit http://www.the3rdvote.org

13th March is over, liao.

[aroki]

headache,

pc posted on the 7th March for the 13th march. the reason it came up again cos ivanhow posted on the statement by the gomen. ok? take a uphamol bro.

[pcyeoh]

So sad lah, headache, Uphamol though a strong potent will not cure your headache. If you hang around here too long, you will eventually change your name to migrane.

I was supposed to attend this talk as the previous one organised by the USJRA at the 3K complexs in SS 13 when Tan Sri Harun Hashim spoke was an eye opener. I was looking forward to meet up with Dr Goh Ban Lee to update him on our USJ 8 Foodcourt issue which at that time was still unresolved. I wanted him to feature that resurrected problem again in The SUN but unfortunately, I was unable as I was held back by other things. Anyway, he has been updated on the latest development and let us see whether he has a sequel to present. Dr Goh has been a Penang Municipal Councillor for many terms and is one of the first academician to do so. The other one is Dr Chin Fook Weng. I know Goh as I have worked with him on projects. I believe unlike politicians, academicians expect the Local Government to have corporate governance and provide good service to their tax payers. The politicians on the other hand would help themselves to self enrichment. And the MPSJ action lately clearly showed that. Mohon lulus mohan lulus.

[gnehkgnep]

PC, myself wud like to understand one thing since i m not resident there............subang got police station or not.......never seen one........and if no..........why subang got MPSJ which govern subang jaya, pj and puchong but no police station whereas puchong have police station but no municipal council of its own.............a bit ironic lar.........why not both build two municipal council and two police stations and work hand-in-hand since many crime being reported in this two area lately..........

[davidfkc]

Its a real headache (sorry for the pun, no offence to psuedonyms) when people are appointed to a position, even if such an appointee was as elected rep of the people. As example is the deputy Minister of the very ministry which which is in charge of the local government portfolio.

Quote " ... she said the decision to cease holding local government elections was based on the Athi Nahappan Commission Report."

Either she never studied history or the newspapers are absolutely ignorant and irresponsible. Take your pick (its alright to rearrange the sentence, and perhaps drop or add in a couple of conjunctions).

In all the forums, workshops, discussions, etc which touch on the efficiency, capability, aptitude, etc of local councils, there has never been a failure to remind the world that the government commissioned Athi Nahappan Commission Report strongly recommended the reinstatement of election of local governments. At that time, the holding of third vote was only merely suspended. It only became law much later, perhaps when people up there realised that there is much to be shared.

The real issue now should not be just a push for the right to vote you own local government, but to make them personally liable. The local government Act, as it is, stinks of concessions and loopholes in favour of the power holder. You know and I know. If I were to add in more words here, uncle ISA would probably haunt me tonight.

[CS Chua]

We have to keep the pressure up on the government. Make it an important election issue in the next general election. If this seminar can be repeated nation-wide in all districts, that will be marvellous.

[ivanhow]

Taken from: http://www.the3rdvote.org

The last para reads:
The time has come to return power to the people. So let us join hands to press for the third vote by restoring local government elections in Malaysia. Being taxpayers, we have a right to decide who represents us and how are taxes are spent.

Do you agree?

Shall we do a polls on this important issue? What say U?

[cskok8]

Subang Jaya police station exist, but it only covers Subang Jaya (not USJ). USJ was under Shah Alam police district, and the station responsible was Batu Tiga. The "pondok" in USJ 8 is like a sub-station of the Batu Tiga one. With the creation of a new police district (Subang Jaya) the boundaries have been redrawn, so most of the areas under MPSJ are now included. I hope this does not give you more headache.

[pcyeoh]

Malaysiakini - Letter to the Editor

Local elections: Gov’t excuses lame

Citizen

Apr 4, 05 12:45pm

The statement in Parliament by Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government that the government has no intention of re-introducing local government elections is not unexpected.

Given Barisan Nasional’s 92 percent majority in Parliament, any proposal that would jeopardise their cosy arrangement of appointing local councilors to perpetuate their control cannot be expected to be received with open arms.

In spite of the recent high-profile cases of corruption and abuse of power by state assemblymen and local councilors, our leaders have chosen to dismiss the call for local government elections. There is no attempt at consideration and it is simply dismissed as unnecessary for the point of costs, time and manpower.

So what else can we do to make the government seriously consider the proposal?

The so-called reason of costs, time and manpower are lame. If a referendum were to be called, I am sure the people would decide in favour of local elections. Just look at the exceptionally high costs of procurement in most local government expenditures.

The savings from proper tender exercise will more than offset the extra costs involved in carrying out local government elections.

The fact that the 14 coalition parties of the Barisan Nasional are collectively in favour of not re-introducing local government elections shows that they are collectively responsible for the deteriorating standards in local governments’ accountability and transparency.

It only goes to show their lack of independence in deciding matters concerning the people.

A mandate is given to the federal government at the general election every five years but this period is certainly too long when deciding on matters of local importance. Each time there is an abuse of power like at Bukit Cahaya and USJ8, both in Selangor, those affected felt peeved and cheated.

They are also helpless in the face of high-handed councilors and assemblymen. Isn’t it now the right time for us to wake up and exercise our civil rights by using our first and second votes to demand for our third vote?

[sallychuah]

To PCYEOH,
Hi, I'm sorry to interrupt from here, I been waiting for ur answer of the dog that u saw last month. I hope u can take a look of the pictures of my dog that I uploaded. And do hope it wasn't my dog. Pls, reply to me as soon as possible. Thank U.

[pcyeoh]

You got to excuse me KW Chang for I need to reply to Sally here about her missing dog while we are talking about Local Government election here. I guess this is more important

Oh gosh, I am truly sorry that I did not see your question that was posted under the Pet as I don't visit that section about pets. I saw your question there after seeing your appeal here.

Rest assured Sally that the dog I saw killed on the road on 2 March is totally different from the photograph of your dog. That one was completely black whereas yours have some white furs on its legs. Furthermore, I saw that dog on 2 March and the dog which you lost couldn't possibly still be wondering on the road till it met its Maker. It couldn't be wondering from USJ 11 to USJ 19 which is about 2 km away. Being a Mini Schnauzer, it would have ended in somebody's house even before it reached Jalan Murni. So don't worry about him/her too much. It could be well taken good care of although the new owner is cruel to take it away from you. Console yourself that it is still alive and did not meet that tragic accident. Who knows if it is fated, he/she will be back in your arms again. I wish you all the best and the luck to be with your dog again.