Time for answers
Transcription
Time for answers
440.144' M ( ■ 1()Nt • • ••••••••00.• # at, For a good Caleak 4FCOPI 'Arai) Clew, Shang, Theng tica, Yee, Ufa and other wi•ZA member; urging the Selangor government Is is Iiif their promises made ho, the peapie. Time for answers Selangor govt rapped for buying RM14.5mil trash compactors stogy and pivots lax YIP YOU Tali tenggthestar.com.my, HE Selangor MCA public Complaints Bureau has questioned the transparency behind the purchase of 50 trash compactors by the Selangor government. Bureau chief amok Theng Book said no tender was called before the RM14.5mil purchase was made, adding that the initea a had received complaints from suppliers who *Gail have provided a better option We were not given the chance. "What's the necessity , to spend soy touch taispayess' money to buy the C01111351C1010 iiiiNn can you appoint conuractots who are not equipped with the basic tools? Me these contracts Oven to ironies?" he asked. Hie said tine state government's claimi that they had managed to save between 25% and 30% front waste collection service was numb- T "Six months have passed and there's meshing. I went wattle dice to check on the status, only to be told additional cost, so how can the that t have to waif longer," *said. dam, government say they have Theag said it was not the first saved money?" he asked adding time they have heard similar comthat the trucks' specifications are plaints but no one had come fororistiown as no tender was called. ward- because they the not want to He said the date was only trying offend the authority. to cower these flaws by offering a "We are not sure where the rest reduction in assessment for The amount spent is of she money has gone. t am worlow-gust flat owners. an additional ried that the stake may have shady "'the state government has also released it but the sum was not promised a 20% reduction in the ant, so how can the passed down to the recipients," he lass general eleaion but even that state government said. bas not materialised," he said at a He said the bureau would file say they have saved press, confereoce yesterday. claim at the Small Claims Court it He highlighted that waste colla- 1111111eys Mere was no response from the tion in the sure had been unsaticstate in two weeks. factolYilldging front the number of -.2%;:t1t 14ENG Fl)(!c He also urged those affected tc CUlliplaints received by the various it was given VAA1,001,) in cash appcoach the complaints lwreat bureaus. them file thr "tt is so serious that it has caused altar• asked to rake a photo with the that would help PAP, banner at the pasty's Sri thoodis in Kiang," he added present at the Press confer Also, backMeanwhile, it was also brought Keelbartgan office as the ence were the buteais *Put! up that a complainant from Sri gtouod "libt" application form dates that chairman Kelvin Chong, depot) Kembangan, Yee See lAreng, 47, NA () Allan Lew Sin Kin yet In receive the amount of the remainder of die sum will be and legal adviser Wank CAC IttieS00 that he was promised released in 60 days. staillaated. "The amount spent is aneady an under the SeLingar government's Senior Citizen* Schnee. Yee said he was given BM] ,000 after the demise of his mother in September but had sot received the balance of ild1,500 despite two reminders. STAR Tarikh: Disabled-friendly feature in PJ shortlisted for international award By EDWARD R. HENRY etiwarclathestat.com.my WALK paths with tact tiles and ramps built around certain parts of Petaling Jaya aimed at creating a barrier-free environment, has been shortlisted as a semi-finalist for the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (Capam) International Innovation Awards. Out of the 120 submissions for the award, PJ has been shortlisted as one of the semi-finalists. Pi's people friendly project — A Barrier Free PJ: Lifting the Urban Disability Stigma — has captured the hearts of Capam judges. Forty countries are taking part in the awards. PJ mayor Datuk Mohamacl Roslan Sakiman said the council felt privileged to be selected as a semi-finalist and the entry was slotted under the Innovation in Citizen Engagement and Dialogue award category. Capam president Paul Zahra from Malta will present the award in New Delhi, India, in September. We find physical barriers still preventing the disabled from participating and enjoying the benefits of living in the city. Accessibie: The disablecririendly pavement along Jakan Gasing in P1 "Our efforts are being seen as various parts of the city have been redesigned to make it accessible," said RO5 tan. Capam is an International Innovations Awards that celebrates the spirit of innovation in the public service by recognising organisations that have made significant contributions to improving governance and services in the public sector. The award inspires and encour- ages innovators to improve public service governance, and the qual- ity of life of residents and communities. "11's barrier-free environment project is the only entry from Malaysia and it competes with entries from established countries and organisations. PJ has made parks and public areas accessible to the physically-challenged and we fed that warrants our entry to be shortlisted," said Roslan. He added that PJ's ongoing effort to create a harrier-free city "is the right thing to do." Meanwhile, PJ dry councillor Lan": .................. za12.. vz and distinguished fellow of the United States of America Hawaii University Anthony Thanasayan said he felt privileged and honoured by Capam's submission. "Being a wheelchair-bound person as a teenager living in PJ, the neighbourhood was my greatest foe at one time. I was a virtual prisoner in my home because of the lack of thought given by the municipal council then to me as a resident with special needs. "I could not get into 'Taman Jaya park which is a few hundred metres from my home because of a locked gate and cobbled pavements," he said. Thanasayan added that now it was a different story. "We have a special entrance for wheelchairs initiated by me that allow all handicapped people through. We have the country's first universal design pavement that is also being made in poorer areas of Pj. "I think, it is an incredible success story that any local government can offer and continue to help the disabled community. "But now with the leadership of Roslan all that is changing," he said, MBPJ gets memo 4,i2v RAs in Kelana Jaya want land status of PKNS field rectified By PRIYA MENON priyaQthestar.com.my S AVE the People's Field com- mittee has handed over a memorandum to the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) over the discrepancy in the Petaling Jaya Local Plan Two (RTPJ2). Committee chairman Datuk Zul Mukhshar Md Shaari and secretary Esham Salam handed over the memorandum signed by 12 residents' associations in Kelana Jaya to the council's public relations officer Zainun Zakaria recently. In the memorandum, the residents have requested PJ mayor Datuk Mohammad Roslan Sakiman to lodge a police report on the discrepancy found on two versions of the RTPJ2, one by MBPJ and the other by the Selangor Town and Rural Planning Department. The MBPj version states that the status of the PKNS field is commercial while the planning department has marked it as a green lung. Esham said the discrepancy was clearly an act of falsifying a government document and as such the culprits should be punished. "The mayor should also lodge a report with the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) to ensure an investigation can be carried out," added Esham. They have also requested that the Area Special Planning Draft that was presented early this year to be halted as the residents believe that the discrepancy might Do something: Zui (left) handing over the memorandum to Zainun. re-occur in this document as well. "We also want the PKNS Sports Complex to be handed back to the MBPJ to avoid land misuse," he added. When asked about the Selangor Appeals Board set up by the state government to resolve the issue, Zui Mukhshar said he did not see the need for it. According to Zul, the KTPj2 by the Selangor Town and Rural Planning Department clearly stated that it was a green lung and there was no need for a decision to be made by the board. "We want an explanation and Tnrikil! RTBA we want answers. It is quite clear that the plan is flawed. "There should not be an inquiry or hearing under the board unless plans for RIPJ3 is under way. "That means, the entire process of hearing, objections and proposals will have to be done again," said Zul. Also present at the handover of the memorandum was Seri Setia assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahrnad. Nik Nazmi said it was important to find the culprit behind the discrepancy and the matter should he handled by Selangor State N Committee on , Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat). "1 believe that Selcat is still relevant in this investigation and if there are any members who are also on the PKNS board they should step down during the investigation," said Nik Nazmi. He added that Selcat had asked him to present all the documents on the issue since it first started. Zainun said the memorandum would be handed over to the mayor who was at the Selangor State Economic Planning Unit meeting. Sales slow at new market Airing out her woes: Nasi lemak seller Subaidah (left) said her business was limited to only one container of rice a day. Behind her is Tang. Traders tell of their predicamen i after site relocation By THO XIN VI only one a day. thoxinyi@tliestar.corri.my "Because of this, I tried to reopen a stall m a coffee shop at the old market m 5K 10. The Subang Jaya Municipal OME traders in the new pasar rakyat in Jalan SK6/1, Seri Council (MPSJ) officers told me Kembangan, lamented their they would withdraw his trading business dropped significantly licence at the new market if she after relocating to the new site, continued to do so. Nasi lemak seller Subaidah Hassan /brahirn, who operated a Subairi, 34, said she previously sweet corn stall next to Subaidah, could sell seven to eight contain- said sale was slow ever since he ers of rice a day, but now it was moved here. S "Almost 95% of my sweet corn was snapped up in the past but now I could not even sell 30 packets a day," the 67-year-old said. Opposite their stalls, Siew Tha, 75, said she could only make about ftlle150 on the weekends and less than g11420 on weekdays from selling vegetables. Another trader in a shoplot near the market, Liew Yoke Yoeng, 74, shared the same predicament. She added that she had to fork TAR 8 JUN out extra money for the toilet and electricity. The bills were shared ix traders in the same shoplot. Seri Kembangan Federal Village Security and Development Committee (JKKKP) chairman Tang Kim Loy urged the MPSJ to exempt the traders from paying their licence fees for six months: "The business at the new market is bad. "People do not come here because of the location is not stra- tegic," he said. The new market, which has 266 lots, opened in April after several delays. The objective of the move was to relieve traffic congestion near the old market and to legalise the hawkers who have been trading at the old market for years. This issue made headlines a few times in the past because some vendors were against the reloca- tion. Four MPSJ councillors sworn in YET TO BE FILLED: One seat remains vacant at the Subang Jaya Municipal Council SHEILA SRI PRIMA SUBANG JAYA streets@nstp.com.my F OUR councillors were sworn in on Wednesday even though one seat remains vacant at the Subang Jaya Municipal Council. First-time councillor Michael Noel Jalleh, 52, works for a nongovernmental religious body called the Malaysian Christian Association for Relief. He hoped to tackle the social problems among the youths in the rural and urban areas. "I am keen in tackling problems faced by the youths and the urban poor. Especially those living in places such as the Enggang apartment in Bandar Kinrara," he said. Councillor for the fourth time, Cheah Sang Soon, 46, who owns an engineering-related business is once again all ready to serve the public. Cheah served tvsidents Jiving in the Bandar Kinrara area during his past three terms. Om I* new \/ area of service is yet to be determined. "I don't mind serving any area of the community. I am willing to contribute, he said. Rajiv Rishyakaran, 31, is the youngest councillor in the lineup. Re was appointed for the third term and will be serving the community at SS13 and SS16. Rajiv said his biggest challenge will be related to the Light Rail Transit (LRT) developments in the area. Councillor for the second term, Loka Ng Sai Kai, 47, is appointed under the non-governmental organisation seat. He is the vice-president of Loka Mitta Buddhist Fellowship Malaysia. His area of service will he Puchong and he hopes to ion the needs of the disabled. "My focus will be to address the needs of the disabled and tackle environmental issues." All four oaunciliors took their oath before MPSJ president Datuk ASINOW1 Kash' witnessing the swearing in of (from left) Michael Noel Jallek, Loka Datuk Asmawi Kasbi. Risleyakaran and Meal, Sang Soon. Pk by Hasriyasyah Sabudin NEW STkAITS TIMES JUN 2012 ••• Tarikh: No permission, no Euro 2012 show,i GET CONSENT FIRST: City Hail yet to receive applications from clubs and pubs 11111■Imm...m.1 NM AOIARIAM MAU+ u, ,,:--^ ;,, streetstamstp.cominy ANY food and beverage outlets are expected to cash in on the UEM European Football Otanipionship (Euro 2012) which kicks off early tomorrow morning. However, till yesterday. City Hall has yet to receive any application from the operators to extend their operating hegira, City Hall deputy director-general (socio-economy development) Datuk Amin Nordin Abd Aziz said it was mandatory for operators of outlets sen log alcohol to get permission if they plan to extend their operation hours. "If the outlet intends to sell beer and liquor during the extended hours, then they need to apply for special permission," he said after visiting families who lost their homes itt a fire in Segambut. M - City Hall has warned that unless operators have approval, clubs and pti:% -0 Turn toPage2 their stipulated operating hours will be compounded. Tarikh: ...... .. . 2aa. Council to issue compounds From Page Amin said that if the permission was g.ranted by the city council, the business operators would have to pay a fee of R.M30 for each additional hour of operation. "Once the committee approves the extension, the business operators and the police will be notified of the extension. Those who are caught operating beyond the stipulated operating hours will be compounded," he said. However, A)11111 said, the pubs and clubs did not have to apply for special permission to extend their operation hours if they ceased selling alcohol after 3am. He said only pubs and clubs in the city are allowed to extend their operation hours. Those in residential areas are not allowed to do so. As for mamak stalls and restaurants, Amin said they are not required to apply for special permission to extend their operation hours. "They are allowed to open till late but they must keep the noise bevel low. We will take action if we receive any complaints from the public," he said. Bangsar Business Council president Ronnie Quay questioned the rationale of City Hall imposing restrictions on the food and beverage outlets. "We have had live screenings of the World Cup, cricket and rugby matches and we never had to ask for permission. "So, why should we do now. This move will cause a lot of hassle for business operators," he said. Quay said the city council should look into imposing their restrictions on mamak outlets that operate 24 hours. NEW STIAL Tatikh: 13 "City Hall need to control the crowd at the matnak stalls. They are the ones that are making all the noise,' he said. Bangsar Baru Residents Association Datuk George Joseph said the residents have no qualms about the pubs in Bangsar showcasing the matches. "Most of the food and beverage outlets in Bangsar are located away from the residential areas As long as they close their doors and don't blast the sound then it should be ok," he said. Last week, Streets had quoted Mayor Tan Sri Ahmad Fuad Ismail as saying that all owners of clubs and pubs would have to apply for special permission from City Hall if they want to extend the operation hours of their outlets during the -Euro 2012 matches which will be shown at midnight and 2.45arn 401111 11MES ■111M1 Act on 'false plan, council tole CREDIBILITY: Committee wants probe into Petaiing Jaya Local Plan 2 coma Au KUALA LUMPUR euniceau@nst.crenrry S AVE the People's Field action committee demanded Petal ing Jaya City Council (1412lPJ) to take action regarding tine falsification of the Pouring Jaya Local Plan 2 (Pl1PX, documents yesterday. The committee president Datuk Zul Muktisar Med Shaarl said WWI shomael lodge a "Falsifying police impart on the documents is • mattet to maintain the serious crime catuthifs, credibility. Ord the mayor 'Falsifying documents is a serious crime shoulders the and the mayor shoul Save 77re Public Football FC coo andvtee president iha4is Jail &hoal frityklige ing the urennoeeneiosn to Pet4 responsibility to ders the nesponsibhity JAN City CON4C11 public middens officer .1fainun Nokias* us S ye the Pop s Field action coma tee secretary saki* Nalaja 3 to lodge a police report lockge a police banks dn. Pit tu5rupirtwaron Stoppiab Saglassaran on the misappropriaFeport: ti o n,' Zul said after to signatories, which Peoghuni Komlorninium Kelana Owtoilc "The plan's:mould be stopped im- hearing regarding the status of the i handing ewer a memwere Persatuan 1TPureta Kahan Jaya. Molchaar Mit mediately and the public stumed be PICNS Levi and sports complex in orandum listing the Demillk clan rave the People's Field action, refunded for their purchase of the Kelana Jaya. Maori committee's demands Penal-mai Kondo,- Committee secretary Esharn Salem draft as web." Save the Nook's Esharn questioned under which to MBP.A public relaminium kelana, har said although /ARM had Mundt% Field action It was reported earlier that are provision of law was the hoard tions officer lainun ZSSahabat Tasek made efforts to recover all the er- MBPJ doCIAgaaw showed the Se- convened and said there should be committee pregidetta Maria yesterday. ... . ... Kelana Jaya, KRT roneous Win copies sold to the langor State Development Congo, no reason to contract a Public bear In the memorandum, teligkok Golf SSZ public, the dpcument had been rationfeldhvbgazrt ing on the field as it was clearly it also states that MIIPJ should Residents Association SSSAll Res- supplied to members of the city as a commercial and service dee gazetted far recreational use. report the issue to the Malaysian idents Association Shang Villa council and could have been 400PE- while the Selangor Town and He added that the committee Anti-Corruption Commission Jar= 6S7/Is, Residents Associailice ed as the official reference. Country Planning Department had had submitted documents regard(MACC) to allow an independent Liangkok Cod S.S7, Masjid Tenglna Vsham explained that is Raman,- gazettecl the site as a recreational ing this issue to MACC earlier. inirestigation of the matter. Kelana Jaya Petra, Persatiran Pen- gars Kites Kawasan (special distinct area. MACC investigations director "This will avoid allegations of dadult Taman Kelana Wan) draft bed been displayed to On Werinesdaff. Merited be‘ao Datuk Mustafat All confirmed that `covet-tilis . being made in She case Masud Maul Yaqin, Gahungan Pet- the public earlier this year whilst Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had the commission had received the of an internal investigation." salon Penducluk SS7 kelana Jaya the false PJliP2 was stilt in CiE- announced then the Selangor Ap- documents and were looking into The memorandum had a C0113.1. of and Persaluan Pemiiik elan culaion. peals Board will conduct a public the matter. ";;ii JittAltS FIMES Tarikh: 14 CUEPACS harap 4 lagi wakil dilanti UALA LUMPUR: CUE- nPACS merayu kerajaz n melantik empat lagi pemimp. n tertingginya menyertai Suruhanjaya Khas Mengkaji Transformasi Perkhidmatan Awam yang ditubuhkan bagi mengka ji secara komprehensif dan holistik perkhidrnatan awam ni gara. Timbalan Presidennya, Azih Muda, berkata pelantikan iebin ramai anggota itu mampu memberi idea yang baik dalant memperkasakan sistem pet khidrnatan awam. "CUEPACS menyambut bail penubuhan suruhanjaya in dan berterima kasih di atas pe lantikan Presiden CUEPACS. Datuk Omar Osman sebagai sa. lah seorang anggota suruhanjaya, bagaimanapun kami berharap sekurang-ktuangnya empat lagi pemimpin CUEPACS dilantik," katanya semalam. Minggu lalu, Ketua Setiausaha Negara (KSN), Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan mengumumkan pelantikan bekas Ketua Hakim Negara, Tun Zaki Azmi sebagai pengerusi suruhanjaya itu serta diwakili enam anggota. Mereka ialah bekas Ketua Pengarah Perkhidmatan Awam, Tan Sri Ismail Adam dan bekas Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran, Tan Sri Atimuddin Mohd Dom. BERITA HARIAN