IF rumour holds true, the 13th general election, due by March 2013, will be held sometime this year. Once again, Malaysians will cast their votes and the party that wins the most number of parliamentary seats will govern federally. But how legitimate is the government that eventually gets into power? Does the party in power […]
council
Passing the buck on disabled-friendly buildings
Ampersand by KW Mak
RECENTLY, I had the pleasure of participating in several workshops involving people with disabilities organised by Beautiful Gate Foundation. The speakers took the trouble to paint a world of constant struggle with many things that able-bodied persons take for granted, be it from traversing steps to visiting a public restroom. The challenges aren’t limited to […]
Why should we care what MBPJ does?
Ampersand by KW Mak
MOST ratepayers are unlikely to know this. But according to the Local Government Act, if a local council incurs a debt it cannot pay, ratepayers can be compelled to pay up instead. Section 45 of the Local Government Act states that should the local council default in payment of a loan for three months, the […]
The mess of poor town planning
By KW MakMY previous columns on town planning focused on how the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) did not provide for legally-required green spaces when approving development for the city. Admittedly though, the loss of recreational parks isn’t so big a deal for urbanites since development brings with it the increased potential for economic growth. In fact, […]
Third vote conundrum
By Deborah LohTHE Penang government has started removing hurdles in the way of restoring local council elections, and its next stop could be the Federal Court. Lawyers consulted by the state assert that local polls are possible because: • The federal law which governs the polls was never abolished. This law is the Local Government Elections Act […]
PJ’s illegal development (Updated 1:05pm)
By KW MakUpdated at 1:05pm, 12 March 2010 IN the first two articles about town planning, I dealt with planning that was done after Petaling Jaya (PJ) was founded. However, it is important to note that PJ was developed in 1952. This is significant because PJ’s founding clearly predates the legal provisions that the state government or […]
Security woes
By KW Mak(© L Joo / Wiki Commons) PETALING JAYA (PJ) and other townships have been facing an issue involving the emergence of gated communities in recent years, with many differing views on whether this should be allowed or not. Arguing for the need for gated communities is the rising crime rate that is gripping our cities, […]
Tales from a Councillor: Gotong-royong and school affairs
By KW MakMY encounter with ratepayers sometimes leaves me with the impression that the phrase “public servant” is a very apt descriptor for local councillors. There are no morals here, save those that readers choose to interpret for themselves. Gotong-royong The bright, sunny morning was perfect weather for the day’s planned activity. Though not a morning person, […]
Tales from a Councillor: Bad Company
By KW MakAS a councillor, I often face difficult, even dangerous, situations even though facing such situations should not be part of the job scope. There are no morals here, save those that readers choose to interpret for themselves. Gangsters It was the night when the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) was supposed to tear down an […]
Why did MBPJ spend so much?
By KW MakMBPJ is spending RM1.2 million on this walkway with tactile indicators (pic by KW Mak) IT was recently reported that the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) spent RM1.2 million on a pedestrian walkway in Section 5, Petaling Jaya. There was uproar from residents because of the exorbitant cost involved. In the report, MBPJ Mayor Datuk […]
