Friday, December 18, 2009

OF COURSE I WAS A TAD DISAPPOINTED! WHO WOULDN'T?


When Haris called me this afternoon I told him that I was going to give the convention a miss. I gave him a different reason as I was not alone then. Of course I was disappointed when I learnt that key factors we expected that would be brought up at this FIRST convention was not on the agenda - factors being Local Government Elections and the promise of wireless broadban access in the Pakatan States.

These were the promises bandied about at all ceremahs leading to GE12. We bloggers wrote about these and candidates made promises.

Now what?

However I will be there tomorrow and I will remind some of our PR MPs and Aduns to stand by their promises.

Here is some background re Local Government Elections and why it must happen:


Conference on the Roadmap to Local Government Elections

A conference on the Roadmap to Local Government Elections was jointly organized by the Malacca Bar Committee in cooperation with the Civil Society Initiative for Parliamentary Reform (CSI-Parliament) and the Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI) on July 26th, 2008 at King’s Hotel. The aim of this conference was to serve as a platform to propel practical but exciting development options to hold elections in local government and to encourage further collaboration between the federal administration and local authorities in regards to civil society advocacy. The outcome of this conference will form the basis for wider public consultation and it is the fervent wish of the organisers that it would ignite institutional reform towards a democratic system of locally elected representatives.

Session 1 of the conference was entitled “Why Local Democracy”.  The first speaker was Mr. Derek Fernandez, a town planning lawyer and a member of the Petaling Jaya City Council. Mr. Derek gave a presentation on the topic of “An Assessment of the Status Quo Under the Current Laws.” He commented that the will of Pakatan Rakyat state governments in having local government elections was eroding. This should not have happened as the most crucial factor of Pakatan Rakyat’s win in urban areas in the last election was due to its’ component parties’ promise of restoring local government elections. He further elaborated that the need to restore local government elections arises from the many issues concerning poor management and abuse of power in local authorities as highlighted by our local newspapers.

 People were angry by political interferences in the decision-making of the local councils and they want changes to be made. He also went through the statutory provisions governing local government with the participants, amongst others, section 9 of the Local Government Act 1976 (power of state authority to issue directions) and section 10(2) of the Local Government Act 1976 (criteria for councillors of the local authority to be appointed).

The appointment of local councillors under the present scheme or system is a political appointment and certainly there is no transparency. Mr. Derek was of the view that section 1 (4) of the Local Government Act 1976, Article 95B(1)(a) and Article 113(4) of the Federal Constitution actually provided a way out for the state governments to abolish the present appointment scheme and call for the elections for local government. He also opined that certain emergency legislations which suspended the local government elections may be invalid. Article 150(5) of the Federal Constitution was also interpreted by Mr. Derek as requiring emergency laws to contain the express provision on emergency matters and if there is none then such emergency legislations should be invalid.

Go HERE & HERE 

on why Local Government Elections must happen. 

20 comments:

k a l a m b o n g said...

What local council election?

What wireless?

Parliamentarian sessions those members of Parliament from PR don't even bother to attend !

And we voted for them, for crying out loud !

21 of them were no where to be seen in the yesterday's voting session, and the vote was narrowly passed, 66-63 !

The thing as told by Anil Netto at http://anilnetto.com/democracy/fright-for-bn-as-budget-passed-by-66-63-votes/

PR missed a golden chance of defeating BN and make history, all because of these lazy bastards !

Here's the list of the 21 members of parliament who were absent:

1)回教党华玲区国会议员泰益阿占慕丁(Taib Azamudden Md Taib)
2)回教党波各先那区国会议员马夫兹(Mahfuz Omar)
3)巴西马独立议员依布拉欣阿里(Ibrahim Ali)
4)行动党峇眼区国会议员林冠英 ( Lim Guan Eng )
5)行动党峇都交湾拉玛沙米(P. Ramasamy)
6)公正党峇央峇鲁区国会议员再林(Zahrain Mohamed Hashim)
7)行动党武吉牛汝莪区国会议员卡巴星(Karpal Singh)
8)行动党日落洞区国会议员黄泉安 ( Jeff Ooi )
9)行动党丹绒区国会议员曹观友 ( Chow Kuan Yew )

10)公正党峇眼色海区国会议员慕辛法兹利(Mohsin Fadzli Samsuri)
11)回教党巴里文打区国会议员慕加希( Mujahid Yusof Rawa )
12)沙巴进步党昔邦加区国会议员依力马贞文(E nchin Majimbun @ Eric )
13)沙巴进步党斗湖区国会议员蔡顺梅
14)公正党鹅唛区国会议员阿兹敏阿里(Mohamed Azmin Ali)
15)回教党乌鲁冷岳区国会议员仄罗斯利(Che Rosli Che Mat)
16)公正党加埔区国会议员马尼卡瓦沙甘(Manikavasagam Sundaram)
17)行动党蒲种区国会议员哥宾星(Gobind Singh Deo)
18)公正党乌鲁雪兰莪区国会议员再纳阿比丁(Zainal Abidin Ahmad)
19)公正党敦拉萨镇区国会议员卡立依布拉欣(Abd Khalid Ibrahim)
20)公正党班底谷区国会议员努鲁依莎(Nurul Izzah Anwar)
21)行动党士布爹区国会议员郭素沁 ( Teresa Kok )


Gobind Singh Deo was barred from entering the Dewan Rakyat.

Manikavasagam was called away by the police for questioning.

What about the others?

What about Karpal Singh?

So busy with his lorya business that the matter in Dewan Rakyat not important anymore?

How about Lim Guan Eng?

That guy talks a lot, but when it comes down to carry out his duty as a Parliamentarian, where the hell was he?

How about Jeff Ooi? P. Ramasamy? Teresa Kok?

If those PR parliamentarian can't do their jobs, they can step down. Resign!

If they think they have too many on their hands, like Teresa Kok or Lim Guan Eng, resign SOME OF THOSE, have a by-election, and let OTHERS take care of the business representing the Rakyat, PROPERLY !!

And as you take another look at the list above, those with Italics are from Penang.

7 Parliamentarians from Penang did not carry out their duty as Parliamentarians yesterday !!

6 of them from DAP, 1 from PKR.

Out of the 6 Parliamentarians of Penang from DAP, NONE of them attend the voting session !

Ok, Gobind Singh Deo has a valid alibi. How about the other 5?

What kind of shitty excuse they are going to give us this time?

We were very tired of the shitty excuses from the Barisan Nasional that is why we voted for Pakatan Rakyat.

Now what we got?

The same old shit !

zorro said...

Kalambong....the list was given and what Romerz of Penang commented might calm you somewhat....it did for me. You seem to have developed a rabid dislike for LGE.

Blogger romerz said...

Zorro, I also have an unhealthy tongue which I just bit tonight!

http://romerz.blogspot.com/2009/12/filibuster-talk-till-you-drop.html

December 18, 2009 5:09 AM

Anonymous said...

Pakatans are just a bunch of incapable administrator.

They are more of opposition mentality politicians and have no idea on how to govern a state.

When they got the state government, all they ever do was point mistakes instead of running and developing the state.

Only BN, now under Najib is clearly seen running things.

There is no clear direction from Pakatan. Public is not stupid. They rejected Pak Lah. Now it is Pakatan turn to be rejected.

What has Pakatan done so far? Zilch! and yes, lost perak too... and yet Pakatan have the gut to say they have the numbers to take the Fed gov on sept 16. How many times you want to be fooled zorro?

Jong said...

Don't talk about those from Penang, even in Selangor itself, look at Teresa Kok on homeground - she a choce and preferred to sit pretty and be seen at the Sultan of Selangor's lavish birthday party!

I don't buy all those excuses of her being appointed the MP-in- attendences; don't think HRH the Sultan would be unreasonable to insist on her staying on rather than attending Parliament session. What is more important than Parliament sitting, a duty she must perform to see to the interest of the rakyat. Would anyone believe she was she so "incapable" of directing another Selangor Adun to take her place at the palace party while she attends Parliament? If an 'SOS' call sent the PM and Ong Tee Keat flying towards Parliament, I don't see why those Pakatan Rakyat MPs like Teresa could not. What they did was inexcusable, disappointing and most shameful, dereliction of duty to say the least!

KoSong Cafe said...

I am sure for those who are tied up while on official duties somewhere eg. Teresa was actually with the Selangor Sultan, then it is difficult to fault them, other than being state as well as parliamentary representatives.

I am also sure that Pakatan missed the one big opportunity of causing the 'no confidence' vote on the ruling government! This must be due to the presumption (on both sides of the political divide) that each MP's one vote will not make much of a difference given BN's big safety margin. We are all wisemen with the opportunity of hindsight. Let it be a lesson to all.

Anonymous said...

Brother!!! don't rush rush brother!!! Sabar, I will continue to vote Pakatan for a change rather than having BN/UMNO running the nation.
Change we must and we must give Pakatan a little bit more time.
We need to focus on the bigger picture on the agenda for CHANGE.
I know many people not happy and so let us continue the struggle and it is we, the people nobody can do it, you, me and the rest of the rakyat so get the awareness initiative to move on and when the time come it will be unstoppable be it BN/UMNO or PAKATAN.

Anonymous said...

MB selangor is ADUN of ijok where PKR is no longer exist!!!

Further signs of the be end of pakatan rakyat

Anonymous said...

Video of Uthaya ticking off the Kedah Chief Police Officer for not acting in accordance with the law

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd5_rX3eDM8

k a l a m b o n g said...

So what do you want me to do?

Pamper Lim Guan Eng?

Sayang Lim Guan Eng?

Spoil Lim Guan Eng?

If that is the thing we voters MUST do AFTER we voted PR in and let Lim Guan Eng become our Chief Minister, then why don't you, Unker Zorro, go sayang, pamper and spoil your Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim?

After all, you voted for PR, right?

Right, Unker Zorro?

Patriot who once ..... said...

Before Zorro start banging hard on PR failure to fully adopt local election, let me remind Zorro that PAS too had failed to fully implement what we know they really want to implement. The fact that they can sit together and say they want to strengthen local democracy should for the moment be enough to satisfy us. So please Zorro masked or unmasked, careful with your pen least you do BN's work for them

Anonymous said...

kalambong,

najib doing things? after Perak, like trying the same trick of using MACC to have another coup in Selangor ? Like giving away land with GDV of RM15b for a miserable RM600m convention centre? Like treating a SD as frivolous? common another RM600k to Dubai for some shopping? whats the loose change.
PR didnt lose Perak. BN rob it by abusing all the insitutions. Look at the jokes from the judiciary.
Guess you wont agree with me but then why should I be surprise.

k a l a m b o n g said...

Did I say anything about Najib, Anon?

Did I say that Najib is right, Anon?

Why are you so anxious to put words into my mouth, Anon?

Why?

Is it because your heroes have betrayed the Rakyat, just like those from the Barisan Nasional?

Why hide behind that "anon" thing?

Can't find your balls, Anon?

Anonymous said...

SORRY Unker Zorro
can't help it, another Rubbish talk CoCk & ShiT!!!


http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/12/20/nation/5341225&sec=nation

Sunday December 20, 2009
RM20bil FDI target will be met this year, says Mukhriz


JOHOR BARU: Despite the economic slowdown, the country is on course to hit the RM20bil target in foreign direct investments (FDI) this year.

Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said the national economic climate was positive as a total of RM12.6bil in FDI had been received between January and September.

Khun Pana aka johanssm said...

After reading romerz's blog i saw the light as well.
Bn will still 'wins" inside the parliament.
The house speaker belongs to umno and he will insist on postponing and have the power to reject anything .
But it will be fun to see the umno greatly embarrass on their own tuft.

Patriot who once ..... said...

See, Zorro, masked or unmasked, why we must not be too rigid:

PAS: Time not right to register PR

Third vote dominates Selangor DAP

zakwan said...

Kalambong, from what I've heard,the MPs from Selangor as well as TS Khalid n Teresa Kok weren't able 2 attend the sitting at late nite due 2 their commitment in attending the Selangor Sultan's birthday celebration dinner

It's get better
When HRH got wind of this,he allowed TS Khalid n the Selangor MPs 2 dismissed themselves n go 2 Parliament but by then,it's already too late

As 4 the Penang MPs,they better hav a credible explanation regarding their explaination

Y is Berahi Ali still referred as a PAS MP?
The guy licks Najib's ballz now

Nurul Izzah?
The woman's a mother now

Karpal?
Wheelchair bound
Even the Lion King deserves his rest after weeks of slaughtering BN MPs in the august house

zakwan said...

Maybe we should also start talking bout the absent BN MPs?
Perhaps they too r against the budget but didn't hav the ballz 2 say it out loud in Parliament
So goin absent is the safe option

From what I've heard from Parliament insiders,Pandikar Amin blundered when he agreed 2 the vote on the federal budget while the assumption that they r still a high no. of BN MPs present in the Parliament grounds

The way I see it, the tactical error is the fault on both sides

k a l a m b o n g said...

As stated in the Malaysian-Insider article:

"DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who opened the convention, made it clear that the party wanted the federal government to clear the hurdles first by amending the Local Government Act."

Swell, isn't it?

Why then the Penang voters don't get to vote for their own City Council?

Do we need the Fed to say "Okay" before Penang can do anything?

Why is DAP so damn useless?

Or is DAP just playing the game by kicking the ball to the Fed?

Those of us who have dealt with DAP in the local council election issue understand very clearly that it is DAP itself that does NOT want a local council election.

PKR does not voice any objection.

Neither does PAS in Penang.

The objection came from DAP Penang.

They want their turn in the City Council.

What about the voters? What about the promises?

Nah ... to Lim Guan Eng and DAP, it is just a game.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps changing the rules may help. Why not just allow a simple yes or no vote via SMS?

A GOOD MAN DOES NOTHING.

Anonymous said...

What a great resource!