Date: Sat, 17 Feb 96 17:41:20 GMT
The Petaling Jaya Municipal Council swore in its 23 councillors for the 1996/1997 term, with news reports mentioning that Dato' Ibrahim Abdul Rahman being among the longest serving councillors. The New Straits Times, in its report today (17.2.96), even managed a dig about "corporate boys" who were no longer there to add colour to the board. There was even a suggestion that ratepayers should thank the Selangor state government for appointing "candidates who are able to dedicate more time to the ratepayers in the council than within the confines of their boardroom."
Taking first things first, Dato' Ibrahim is a "corporate boy" whose son is Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the deputy prime minister. Why was the newspaper shy about mentioning this fact; or did they not know it? Dato' Ibrahim is a former parliamentary secretary, having been in Parliament between 1959 and 1969. He is in his seventies, his corporate profile having risen in tandem with his son's political advancement.
As for ratepayers thanking the state government, the MPPJ president, Mr Mohamed Nor Bador answered that. Ratepayers should not bother them with such mundane problems of "broken drains" or "leaking pipe". For that, go to the department heads to have them attended to. What this means in practice is that they would not be attended to. Have you tried to call a department head? I have. He is always attending meetings whenever I call.
So how do ratepayers get their views heard? Well, if you have a brilliant
plan to build an underground city, with housing for 500,000 built in, with
a research and development laboratory for space research, then the council
would be willing to hear from you. I predict that the councillors would
be even more inaccessible than the previous lot were.
M.G.G. Pillai
[email protected]
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