Communication is key: Mohd Azizi says it is important that councillors keep their ears to the ground and listen to their constituents as they had to take their views into account before making decisions. (The Star)
PETALING Jaya ratepayers can contact the councillor in charge of their neighbourhood to discuss a local issue or if the council’s service does not meet their expectation under a new Call Your Councillor (CYC) programme.
Both the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and Klang Municipal Council (MPK) have the CYC programme to encourage the people to get the councillor in charge of their zone for assistance.
Petaling Jaya mayor Mohd Azizi Mohd Zain and MPK president Datuk Mohammad Yacob said the CYC was an effort to improve the relationship between ratepayers and the council, create a transparent management, and instil high standards of ethics in serving the people.
Both councils will make available the councillors’ contact numbers to residents via brochures.
Mohd Azizi said councillors were accountable for the overall work the council did.
“Councillors will discuss, debate and decide on guidelines that affect the people.
“Guidelines and issues discussed at the council’s sub-committee meetings must be followed through,” he said.
Mohd Azizi added that councillors must meet the residents personally to know their problems and how best to tackle them.
“Sometimes residents just want a speed breaker repainted or a broken drain repaired. All this must be settled at the grassroots level,” he said.
He added that councillors were community leaders and must make time to serve ratepayers.
“It is important councillors keep their ears to the ground, meet senior citizens, talk to non-governmental organisations, visit places of worship and take their views into account when making decisions,” said Mohd Azizi.
He added that councillors must give the highest standard of service to the people with truthfulness.
Mohammad Yacob said councillors were sought for advice but sometimes the issues were not related to the local council.
“But, the councillor can refer the matter to the right government department to help sort out the issue,” he said.
Mohammad Yacob said the local council was the level of government closest to the people.
“Councillors must understand that the local council provides service, creates opportunities for the people to take part in decision making to shape their locale, be it to maintain an open space or decide on new modes of transportation,” he said.
He added that councillors were decision makers and must declare an outside interest that could be seen to affect the merits of the case or decision making process.
“Councillors must adhere to high standards of ethics and withdraw from sub-committee meetings if there is personal interest involved, unless given permission.
“Being open and transparent will ensure no grounds for suspicion or corruption,” he said.
Source: The Star
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