Heads will start to roll
The Semenyih by-election that Barisan Nasional won is a warning sign for the Pakatan Harapan government to buck up. Melaka is taking heed of the message and will start axing underperformers in its local councils beginning this month.
Dozens of department heads at four local councils in the state and local councillors are going to be re-designated as well as having their contracts discontinued in a move to axe underperformers starting from this month.
Melaka Housing, Local Government and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Tey Kok Kiew said the bold move has to be made although it is considered an unpopular decision by the state government.
“There are two choices, either to please the civil servants and local councillors or get criticised by the rakyat for not being able to deliver effectively what has been pledged.
“People want the state government to show results and we have made remarkable achievements in fulfilling 50% of Pakatan Harapan’s GE14 manifesto.
“But the issue here is the existence of ‘little Napoleons’ within the government departments,” he said in an interview here yesterday.
Tey warned that many local councillors had failed to achieve desirable results in their Key Performance Index (KPI) and would be terminated by end of this year, if no improvement is seen.
He said there were councillors who were fond of appearing in the media but failed to submit the prerequisite documentation on complaints or issues raised by the local folk.
“I get a slew of complaints on clogged drains and other localised issues which are supposed to be handled by local councillors.
“Many were unable to reach me as my phone was often congested with calls made by locals complaining about issues that should be handled by local councillors.
“In a nutshell, some councillors are not doing their jobs,” he said.
Tey added that heads of departments who were fond of making unilateral decisions without proper working papers would face the action of being re-designated over the next few months.
He said the state government was also unfazed with any attempt to manipulate disciplinary action against them by turning it into a controversy to gain public sympathy.
“Time is running out for the state government to implement programmes and projects for the benefit of the people.
“We are focusing on revamping local councils as they are the backbone and crucial organisational structure for the state government,” he said.
Melaka has four local councils – Melaka Historic City Council (MBMB), Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council (MPHTJ), Alor Gajah Municipal Council (MPAG) and Jasin Municipal Council (MPJ).
Tey said the restructuring of human resources within the local councils was needed to identify talent who could help spearhead state government programmes and projects designed to benefit the people.
“Furthermore, I want to slash complaints on discourteous and inefficient frontline services,” he said.
Tey also said future appointment of local councillors could be headhunted from social workers’ networks.
“It’s not necessarily that we should pick local councillors from political parties but the right choice would be those with experience and able to manage any situation,” he said.
A steering committee will evaluate the performance of heads of departments in the four local councils before the re-designation exercises are executed.
“Heads will definitely roll as we need to fulfil the earlier pledges made to the people,” he said.
In January, Tey put his foot down to change the management of MBMB following an incident where angry residents torched a newly built parking booth at Taman Nirwana in Klebang Besar.
The Jan 4 incident was triggered by the privatisation of the parking lot on Jan 1.
Tey appointed a new MBMB mayor on Feb 1 and curtailed the power of local councils in implementing or granting contracts to companies, especially in projects that involved the collection of money from the public.