Hall of Shame

What a mess. I don't know how NST got these figures, but it's shocking. No wonder UMNO suggested earlier that Mayor of cities be elected. Maybe PAC can start auditing these guys one by one to enhance confidence of the people in the authorities involved.

NST Aug 20:
RM10m spent on study tours
RM33m spent on cars

Nobody is perfect. Least of all the local councils. For too long, they have been accused of operating behind a thick veil of secrecy, running the councils as if they were their fiefdoms. Transparency, accountability, consensus - these words don't exist in their vocabulary.

So why are the ratepayers always critical of local authorities? Here's why:

• Kuala Lumpur City Hall spending RM10.5million over five years on trips abroad for its officials; RM33.4million to buy vehicles; and RM5million to fete its employees;
• A RM350,000 flagpole erected at the Ipoh Padang;
• The Seberang Prai Municipal Council gave a multi-million ringgit contract for the supply of fresh flowers to its office;
• A bus and taxi terminal in Cameron Highlands not built to specifications by the district council;
• The Selayang Municipal Council sending some officers and others on a "foreign study" tour although it had no money;
• The Selayang Municipal Council, again, forcing residents to buy bins from it or risk not having their rubbish collected;
• Subang Jaya Municipal Council directing all eateries to engage the services of a seven-company consortium providing pest control services at exhorbitant fees. And the seven were not even registered with the National Association of Pest Control Companies;