theSun | TUESDAY JUNE 30 2009 TELLING IT AS IT IS  15

Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688

speak up! Managing Editor: Chong Cheng Hai
Consultant Editor: Zainon Ahmad
Executive Editor: Lee Boon Siew
General Manager, Advertising and Marketing: Charles Peters
Senior Manager, Production: Thomas Kang
Senior Manager, Distribution Channels: Joehari Abdul Jabbar
Fax: 03-7785 2624/5
Email: newsdesk@thesundaily.com
Deputy Editor: Patrick Choo (Production), Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888
Editor: R. Nadeswaran (Special Reporting and Investiga- Fax: 03-7784 4424
tions) Email: advertise@thesundaily.com

Councillors must
of a general order” which the lo-
cal authorities “shall as soon as
possible give effect”. Under the
Town and Country Planning Act
of 1976, local councils also have to
abide by planning policies of the
state planning committee which
day issues faced by rate-payers,
they have good insights in solving
problems or improving living con-
ditions. If these are different from
the directives of the state govern-
ment it is their duty to make their
views known to the state leaders

play by the rules

USUALLY, it is the mentris besar
or chief ministers who abuse their
positions by treating local councils
as state departments. But out of
about 3,300 serving local council-
lors, there are bound to be those
who are head-strong and quick to
vocalise in public their frustrations
or anger with state governments or
state leaders.
What are the relationships be-
tween councillors and state govern-
ments? Should councillors who cast
aspersions on the state government
resign? Failing that, should their
appointment be revoked?
The conduct of some councillors
recently has given cause to paying
some attention to these questions.
In Petaling Jaya, City Councillor
A. Thiruvenggadam charged that
the Selangor Government was mar-
ginalising the Indian community.
letters
letters@thesundaily.com
Adding insult to injury, he claimed
that this was not much different
from what Barisan Nasional had
done (Malaysiakini, May 21). He
also alleged that the state was al-
locating solid waste management
contracts to political parties — 40%
to PKR, 30% to PAS and 30% to DAP
(Malaysiakini, May 25).
The tenure of councillors in
Selangor ends this month.
In Penang, eight councillors boy-
cotted the swearing-in ceremony of
the new president of Seberang Perai
Municipal Council (MPSP) on June
4 to register a public protest against
the state government. In claiming
that the post was promised to the
PKR, their spokesman Johari Kas-
sim also questioned the state gov-
ernment’s adherence to its slogan
on competency, accountability and
transparency (NSTonline, June 4).
is chaired by the mentri besar or – behind closed doors.
chief minister. Councillors do not have to take
As such, if a mentri besar or instructions from state govern-
chief minister has cause to doubt ments on specific matters. There
LocalCounsel the commitment of any councillor is also much room for them to
by Goh Ban Lee to implement state policies, there play very important roles and gain
is ground to revoke his or her prominence in the development
appointment. and manage-
There were calls for the council- Questioning It is understandable ment of their
lors, particularly Johari, to resign. the integrity of towns and cities.
The most vocal was Jelutong Mem- the state gov- for political parties to More im-
ber of Parliament Ooi Chuan Aun. ernment or its protect their members. After portantly, party
But there were also arguments that leadership is all, without members, there members who
their conduct was a “party matter”, just cause. would be no leaders. are not suitable
meaning no resignation. It is under- to be councillors
Although most councillors standable for are not neces-
are nominated by political par- political parties to protect their sarily good only for arranging
ties, they are appointees of state members. After all, without mem- chairs and tables. They could be
governments. If they question the bers, there would be no leaders. very effective state assemblymen
integrity of the state government But blind protection of members or even members of Parliament.
or mentri besar or chief minister, can damage the integrity of the They obviously have the courage
it means they have no confidence parties and the government in and the ability to get their convic-
in the authority that appoints them. which they are part of. tions known to the public.
Ethically, they should resign. If a mentri besar or chief min- But until local councillors are
If they do not, their appointment ister is unable or unwilling to sack elected, they cannot cast aspersions
should be revoked. The Local Gov- recalcitrant councillors, he is on on the state government or mentri
ernment Act of 1976 provides that a slippery slope of losing control besar or chief minister and hold
the “seat of a councillor shall be- of the state administration and on to their posts. Code of ethics for
come vacant ... if his appointment confidence of the people. Serious councillors?
is revoked by the state authority”, loss of confidence leads to change
although it does not give any detail of government. Dr Goh Ban Lee is a retired academ-
for revocation. Local councillors, of course, ic interested in urban governance,
But the Act provides for the need not be just errand boys of housing and urban planning. Com-
state authority to give “directions state leaders. Dealing with every- ments: letters@thesundaily.com.

Ruby Lee remembered

DESPITE her hectic schedule of Red
Crescent activities the late Datuk
Paduka Ruby Lee also ensured that her
volunteers were also well cared for, a
fact unknown to many.
Having joined the Malaysian Red
Crescent Society in 1960, I, too, like
hundreds of other young members,
grew up under her disciplined and
dynamic leadership.
Senior members have fond memo-
ries of Lee’s kindness, guidance and
love showered on them during her 32
years as secretary-general until she
retired in 1996.
Whenever the members returned
from disaster relief duties, she always
had food on the table for everyone,
which would include breakfast, lunch,
dinner, snacks and hot drinks available
24 hours. No one worked with a hungry
stomach.
Members on late night duty were
either transported home by Red Cres-
cent vehicles or, if they chose, sleep
safely at MRCS headquarters. This also
brought relief to worried parents as
their children were away from home
for longer periods.
Immediately after every disaster
relief duty, she would award letters of
appreciation to members. This brought
great joy to them and made Lee a spe-
cial leader to be remembered.
During functions, she always intro-
duced every member present to the
invited guests and leaders. She is an
extraordinary leader who felt proud to
give credit where credit is due whether
it’s a big or small achievement.
Lee would even sacrifice her rest
days to attend most of the activities
organised by members.
She encouraged healthy discussions
and debates on Red Crescent topics to
build a mature leadership. This paid
off as many members excelled as out-
standing leaders in the society.
The above are only a few of the
many interesting and unforgettable
stories of Lee’s love for the energetic
members who worked tirelessly in any
given situation.
She devoted almost her entire life
to humanity through the Malaysian Red
Crescent Society and brought credit to
the movement and Malaysia abroad.
Her teamwork paid off too. Madoff
For all these and other humble jailed
services and achievements, as one 150 years
who had worked with her at various
times, I regard Lee, who died at age 82 pg 17
on June 14, as mother of Malaysian Red
Crescent Society.
No question about it.
S. T. Rajagopal
Kuala Lumpur

Many eager to lend a hand

I REFER to “Don’t hesitate to help” (Let-
ters, June 26) and would like to say that
there are still many in our society who
are civilised and compassionate. These
are the people who would go about
helping others without much thought
about recognition.
I only wish more Malaysians would
demonstrate such traits and our society
would indeed be a better place to live
in.
Last month, I wrote about how a
woman, a total stranger, had lent me
RM5 to pay for the registration fee at
the Seremban Hospital when she over-
heard me telling my mother that I had
forgotten to bring my wallet and that
we may have to wait a bit longer until
my wife arrives at the hospital with my
wallet. It may be a paltry sum and she
needn’t have done it but she did it out
of the goodness of her heart.
And last week, I was involved in a mi-
nor accident with another motorcyclist.
While we were arguing in the middle of
the road on whose fault it was, another
motorcyclist got off his bike and helped
us in removing our motorcycles which
were blocking traffic.
The funny thing was that we never
got to extend our thanks to this chap
as we were still in the midst of our
argument.
As for those passers-by who just
stood and watched, there are many like
them just as there are also some who
would willingly come forward to help.
So, now you know how come there
could be a jam on one side of the high-
way when the accident had occurred
on the other side.
Michael Ng
Seremban