KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur's first female mayor, Datuk Seri Paduka Dr. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, began her tenure today with bold promises of change, pledging zero tolerance for corruption, a cleaner city, and an open-door policy to enhance governance.
In her first address to the media this morning, after clocking in for her first day at work at Menara DBKL 1 on Jalan Raja Laut, Maimunah assured members of the media of her commitment to approachability and transparency.
As a gesture of goodwill, she even shared her personal phone number with the media.
"I am grateful for the opportunity and trust placed in me by the Prime Minister in appointing me as the mayor of Kuala Lumpur," she said.
"It is a great honour and privilege to be the first woman to hold this position. Since the announcement yesterday (Wednesday (Aug 15), I have received a lot of feedback and requests from various quarters. There are high expectations, and I will need the media's support to meet them,’’ she said.
"We have a lot of work ahead of us. The Prime Minister shared his ambitions with me, and we all need to work together to improve the livelihoods of city residents, enhance the quality of life, and make Kuala Lumpur more resilient, especially in the face of climate change,’’ Maimunah said.
Earlier, Maimunah was honored with a Guard of Honour salute by City Hall enforcement officers, preceded by a welcome dance performed by dancers from the Tourism, Culture, and Arts Department.
Maimunah was officially named Kuala Lumpur's 15th mayor on Wednesday. The announcement was made by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories), Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
Her appointment, effective August 15, is in accordance with Section 4(2) of the Federal Capital Act 1960.
A town planner by training, Maimunah holds a degree from the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology in the United Kingdom.
She began her career at the Municipal Council of Penang Island in 1985.
She previously served as the mayor of the Penang Island City Council, Malaysia’s Special Envoy on Sustainable Urbanisation, and as the executive director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
In 2011, she became the first woman to serve as president of the Seberang Perai Municipal Council.
Maimunah succeeds Datuk Seri Kamarulzaman Mat Salleh, whose tenure as Kuala Lumpur's 14th mayor ended Wednesday.
