KEPONG MP Lim Lip Eng called upon Putrajaya to abolish the Federal Territories Ministry (FT) as it was redundant and a waste of public funds.
“The ministry should be done away with as its jurisdiction overlaps and interferes with Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) purview.
“Just reinstate local government elections and let the people decide who they want as Kuala Lumpur’s mayor,” he told FocusM.
This is not the first time someone had made a call to abolish the FT Ministry and reinstate local council polls.
In February this year, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) central committee member Sharan Raj told FocusM that the FT Ministry must be abolished as the latter was plagued with corruption, politicking and inefficiency due to lack of oversight, thus affecting Kuala Lumpur and Labuan.
The problem, Sharan opined, was caused by the vast and unilateral powers held by whoever helmed the ministry at that point in time.
“The classic case of how such powers corrupt the office-bearer is Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor. He was charged for dishing out a piece of land in Kuala Lumpur to a developer in exchange for a political donation.
“Such unfettered powers allow grafts to flourish because there is no check and balance,” he pointed out, while calling for local council elections to be restored.
It is note that the Court of Appeal had dismissed the charges against Tengku Adnan in July and the prosecution team had since filed an appeal with the Federal Court.
In December 2018, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said that her ministry was looking at reinstating local government election within three years.
However, her statement was shot down by then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad claiming the move would cause strife among various communities and create division among urban and rural dwellers.
Shahidan’s appointment “odd”
Touching on Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim’s appointment as the new FT Minister, Lim said it did not make any sense for the Prime Minister to appoint the former to the post as he was from Perlis.
“Anyone with little sense would have appointed a KL MP for the post, or at least, someone who resides in the Klang Valley region.
“Needless to say, the appointee must also be on the ground at most times and approachable by the people,” the DAP leader opined.
On related matter, Federal Territories PKR chief Zahir Hassan called Shahidan’s appointment to the post as “odd”.
Echoing Lim’s sentiments, he also said that FT Ministry should be led by a Klang Valley resident, with good contact among the locals.
“And I don’t think people like Shahidan will understand the plight of the urban poor living in Kuala Lumpur.
“Anyhow, I hope he would address issues plaguing KL dwellers such as petty traders losing their livelihood, B40 students missing out on education and other matters within 100 days,” he noted.
Zahir remarked: “However, looking at his decades of political work, I fear that Federal Territories dwellers may have to wait until the next general election to see real changes.”- Aug 28, 2021
