Wanted: An advisory board that truly represents KL residents

Mahadi: DBKL used to be invited to suggest names for the Advisory Board but not anymore.

MANY wonder what will happen to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) Advisory Board now that there is no longer a Federal Territories Ministry.

The task of appointing members to the DBKL Advisory Board is under the purview of the Federal Territories Ministry and not DBKL, says Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah.

“In the past, DBKL was invited (by the ministry) to suggest names, but not anymore.

“Of late, we have not been asked to submit names,” he said.

Traditionally, many advisory board members were political appointees.

As per the Rules and Regulations of the Advisory Board of the City of Kuala Lumpur 1989, the board must have 15 members with the Federal Territories Ministry, Finance Ministry (MOF) and Economic Planning Unit (EPU) of the Prime Minister’s Department having one representative each, as well as two representatives from the Selangor government.

The rest were usually members of political parties from the ruling administration at that time.

A check on the DBKL website showed the 15-member board was presently down to only three.

They are Datin Rashidah Mohd Sies from Finance Ministry, Datuk Setia Di-Raja Datuk Abdul Ghani Pateh Akhir from Selangor and former deputy inspector-general of police Tan Sri Mazlan Mansor.

Under Section 6 of the Federal Capital Act 1960, the appointment of the Advisory Board members is by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, who will act on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The remaining 12 members of the board have completed their respective two-year terms.

When contacted, former DBKL Advisory Board member Datuk Zainal Abidin Mohd Rafique said his term expired in October.

He said the board met four times a year and each member would be given a portfolio.

He held the portfolio related to hawkers and licensing.

“(The end of my tenure) was not political. My term ended and the paperwork (reappointment) was not done by the minister at that time,” said Zainal Abidin.

It was reported that the government had issued a blanket order to end the tenure of chairmen and board members regarded as political appointees in federal statutory bodies and government-linked corporations.

City folk interviewed by StarMetro said they wanted to see a more representative DBKL board.

“Kuala Lumpur MPs should be sitting on the board,” said Federal Territory Residents Representative Council committee member for Bandar Tun Razak, Mohd Zainuddin Amran.

“Community leaders should also be appointed,” he said.

He added that the local leaders would know what was happening on the ground.

Malaysian Association for the Blind chief executive officer Datuk George Thomas said local representation was important, including people with disabilities.

“We want someone who will speak up for the rights of the disabled,” he stressed.

Taman Seputeh resident Cynthia Hor hopes the Advisory Board would have the power to veto wasteful projects.

“I hope that there will be more prudent spending of public monies,” she added.