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news without borders
‘Professionals, not
politicians,
should helm local govts’
by Opalyn Mok
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GEORGE TOWN: The state
government should appoint
professional civil servants as
council presidents to ensure
the smooth running of local
governments, said Jelutong MP
Jeff Ooi.
Ooi, who called a press con-
ference to criticise local councils
for lack of performance, said it
is his personal opinion that the
council president should be a
professional and qualified civil
servant.
“We want a professional to
run the show, and until we have
elected council presidents, I feel
it is not appropriate to have a
politician as council president,”
he said.
Using former council presi-
dents Datuk Tan Gim Hwa and
Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan as the
benchmark for the performance
of politicians as council presi-
dents, Ooi said it is best to have
civil servants run the councils.
“This way, we will have less
political interference in the
running of local government,”
he said.
Ooi was responding to a
question on whether politicians
should be appointed council
presidents which PKR has been
lobbying for.
Earlier, he said Penang Island
Municipal Council (MPPP) presi-
dent Datuk Zainal Rahim Seman
will be on study leave from
March onwards and he will be
due for promotion in May.
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Ooi points
to a map
showing his
constituency
during
the press
conference.
“This means we will be ap-
pointing a new council president
by May but during his absence,
we will have a stop-gap presi-
dent who may not be an effec-
tive leader,” he said.
He said the council should
not be left without a strong
leader even for a few months
as its efficiency would be af-
fected.
“Even with a president, the
council was not run efficiently
and I’ve received a lot of com-
plaints against MPPP through
my service centre,” he said.
He said there is a serious
need to improve the council’s
roles in planning, licensing and
enforcement as there were de-
lays even at its one-stop centre
and lack of enforcement against
illegal hawkers.
He pointed out that the
licensing department, develop-
ment planning division, one-
stop centre, as well as building,
municipal services, public health
and engineering departments
needed to be scrutinised.
“They need to improve their
efficiency, and get rid of tactical
delays that could induce corrup-
tion or pave the way for political
interference,” he said.
On the appointment of mu-
nicipal councillors, Ooi said he
had proposed that councillors
be given zones to be responsible
for. “We need to have a zoning
system so that the councillors
will be accountable and respon-
sible for their respective zones
instead of having them running
around everywhere,” he said.
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MB may offer exco post to Hee
Press Digest
by Kong See Hoh
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PERAK Mentri Besar Datuk Dr
Zambry Abdul Kadir says he will
consider offering an exco post to
DAP-turned-independent assem-
blyman for Jelapang Hee Yit Foong
if that is the wish of the Chinese
community.
Stating this in an interview with
China Press, he asked the daily:
“Do you want her to become an
executive councillor? If all of you
want her to be in the exco, I have
no problem … but I will look at the
big picture.”
The mentri besar said he
Differing responses from two linked to crossover talk
TWO Parti Keadilan Rakyat assem-
blymen in Kedah, whose names
have been linked to crossover talk
lately, gave differing responses
when contacted by China Press on
Wednesday.
While Sidam assemblyman Tan
Show Kang said with no uncer-
tainty that his heart remains with
PKR, Bakar Arang representative
Tan Wei Su said he could not give a
briefs
Stop open burning, Penang folk told
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has told local dwellers
to stop open burning and ensure that their vehicles are in good
condition during the dry and warm weather to curb the haze
situation in the state.
State environment committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said
in a statement that the air quality in the state from Feb 1 to Feb
11 was at moderate levels. “The highest Air Pollution Index (API)
reading was at 86 on Feb 9 in Seberang Perai,” he said.
He said the local source of the haze was hay burning in Se-
berang Perai. The Agricultural Department said the burning will
be carried out until end of February.
The Environment Department has taken several measures to
reduce air pollution in the state, including increasing patrols to
prevent open burning, enforcing the law on black fumes produced
by vehicles and inspecting smoke released by industries.
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theSun | FRIDAY FEBRUARY 13 2009
sympathises with Hee for the pre- they have quit their parties or are
dicament she is in as many Parti
Keadilan Rakyat supporters are
independents.
“What is important is how they
pointing their fingers at her. serve the people,” he said.
He said judging from the cur- Zambry assured the Chinese
rent public sentiment, she seems community that given time, he
to be at fault whether she becomes will show he is fair to all races and
an exco member or not.
“If she takes up an exco post,
be truly a mentri besar for all the
people.
others will say she quit the party On the issues of new village
(DAP) for such a post; if she is not
appointed, the Chinese will tick her
permanent land titles and Chinese
primary schools in the state, he
off for not trying to make it to the
exco list.”
said he will look into them (policies
introduced by the Pakatan Rakyat
He said the new state govern- state government) and asked for
ment must consider whether the time to study the relevant docu-
Chinese community wants her. ments.
What is even more important is When asked whether she would
that the Barisan Nasional wants to accept an offer of an exco post and
have exco members who can serve if the Chinese still want her, Hee
the people regardless of whether declined to comment.
guarantee that he would not jump said he could not give an assurance
ship. that he would not defect but he
Likening himself to a pretty would follow his conscience.
young woman, Show Kang said he He said the Barisan Nasional
has many suitors but is “in love” has been dangling the carrot for
with PKR and would stay faithful. him to jump ship and he has also
He told those wanting to court feared for the safety of his family
him to stop wasting time as “come members.
what may, I will not abandon the He said though he would not
party”. leave the party at this point in time,
However, his colleague Wei Su there will always be variables.
Consumers Association of Penang (CAP), meanwhile, urged
the government to investigate if any Malaysian plantation compa-
nies in Indonesia are responsible for the current haze as a result
of open burning activities in Sumatra.
Worker buried alive in landslip
KUALA LUMPUR: An Indonesian worker was killed after be-
ing buried by a pile of earth following the collapse of part of
a hillslope at a construction site in Bukit Ceylon yesterday.
The 45-year-old worker and a colleague, aged 37, were
working on the hillslope, where a 13-storey condominium
is being constructed, at about 4.14pm when the incident
happened.
According to Jalan Hang Tuah Fire and Rescue Department
deputy head of operations Mohd Marzuki Shaffie, the earth
gave way and the worker was buried about 5m deep. His
colleague, also an Indonesian, was trapped and buried up
to chest level.
Mohd Marzuki said 13 firemen arrived at the scene and
took less than an hour to extricate the dead man’s body and
rescue the trapped worker, who was seriously injured.
The worker’s remains and the rescued man were sent to
Kuala Lumpur Hospital.
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