STRONG medicine is needed after the soft approach used by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who has attempted to woo the public servants to work together with the unity government to solve the country’s woes does not bear fruits.
What the country now needs are stern taskmasters such as Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi who gets to the ground to solve the traffic congestion at the customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) complex in Johor Bahru,
Or like this Federal Territory director of Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) Ummi Kalthum Shuib who suddenly appeared one night at Flat Hijau in Putrajaya where migrant workers were dumping rubbish indiscriminately.
Ummi told FocusM that those working with Alam Flora practises recycling but not those working with other private companies in Putrajaya.
Deterioration of public service
While society cannot bear to even see the slightest reprimand, the truth is that if nothing is done to nip the problem at the bud, things can only worsen over time.
The standard of service by 1.7 million public servants has gone from bad to worse since Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s era to where it is today. It is by large one of the biggest burdens for the Madani government.
Take, for example, the attitude of some heads of government agencies. When complaints were raised with the mayor of Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) Datuk Seri Kamarulzaman Mat Salleh, he preferred to let his underlings handle the issue.
By just hearing reports from his staff, the mayor would not be able to see how dangerous it is for extensions to be built such as the three extensions (one with attap roof) being built on the boulevard at M-Avenue in Segambut.
With cars parked on both ends of the boulevard which are meant for the fire engine to enter, it means delay in rescue services in the event a fire breaks out.
Questionable answers
DBKL press relations director Zurida Hashim explained to FocusM that the extension was made by restaurant owners. “It is the responsibility of the management committee (MC) to act on these extensions if there is no development order.”
But her second response to this raises a further question as to why despite the bylaws, private owners or MC can continue to extend their buildings at their whims and fancies without any punitive actions taken under the many bylaws or the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974.
In fact, a third response from her raises more questions: if the building is now under the MC or the parking lots remain in the hands of the developers, parking lots and the implementation of any parking charges would still come under the supervision of the local authority. How then can parking charges not controlled by the local authority?
DBKL has often claimed it has no control over the decision by the landowners even if they choose to charge a parking fee of RM1 per entry for the first six months, ignoring the norm of the 15 min grace period.
Because there are no regulations on what the reasonable parking charges are, some private landowners in the city have turned over their land to certain individuals who charge exorbitant fee of RM10 per entry even if it is just to park for five minutes.
When such answers are given to the media, it is not only she but the mayor himself are getting the brickbats from the public.
The bottom line is the people investigating the case should be hauled up by the integrity department, and perhaps, stern actions should be taken or else the quality of our public service can only deteriorate from bad to worse.
Both Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Costs of Living Fuziah Salleh and Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh have been asked to look into the matter.
Time to remove the weed
Even after complaints of City Hall enforcement officers going around collecting angpow from Mandarin orange traders went viral as per highlighted by socio-political commentator Imraz Ikhbal, both Kamarulzaman and Zurida remained uncommitted in revealing the outcome of the investigation. .
The Madani government cannot allow such seemingly corrupt practices which run contrary to its anti-corruption stance to continue. Moreover, complaints have often been heard that members of the public are given the run around from one department to another.
Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming has to look into issues of local council staff showing their lackadaisical attitude. Failure to do what is necessary will not solve many of the country’s council-related woes.
While Anwar is doing his best to raise the standard of living of pensioners and public servants, he should not tolerate those who are defiant. Problematic employees would have to be weeded out. – Sept 17, 2023
Main pic credit: EdgeProp
