KOTA KINABALU: Api Api assemblywoman and PKR’s supreme council member, Christina Liew, has appealed to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government to allow elected representatives to be given the right to appoint the local government and leaders in their respective constituencies.
This, she said, is to ensure better coordination and cooperation between local governments and constituency leaders, so as to perform their respective duties in serving the people more effectively.
Liew has raised the question as to whether there is a law or legislation in place that states that only the ruling party of the country’s government has the right to appoint local governments.
“Be they Barisan Nasional leaders or representatives from the opposition parties, the elected representatives should be given the right to appoint local government and leaders. A lot of the positions in local governments are crucial to the decision-making process in serving the people in the constituencies,” said Liew, when met at the launching of the month-long City Cleanliness Campaign, here yesterday.
She added that if given such right, revoking the position of existing local governments and leaders are not necessary, given that the latter are willing to work closely with the elected representatives regardless of the party they are representing.
Further, in alluding biasness in the Barisan Nasional-led government system, Liew has also raised the question of fairness in allocating budget to the elected representatives, alleging that budget allocation meant for the opposition-led constituencies were not properly channelled.
“I would like to remind the government, that we are aware of the fact that all elected representatives are given allocations, albeit with implicit imbalance between ruling party representatives and those of us from the opposition.
“This is not only unfair but wrong in all aspects! The YBs (elected representatives) are elected by the people of the constituencies, therefore he or she has the right to the funds meant to be utilised to help the people,” she stressed.
She appealed to the government to thoroughly investigate the matter, especially regarding funds being channelled away from the rightful representatives, thereby raising doubt on a statement once made by the Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman regarding equal service to the people where Barisan Nasional lost seats to the opposition in the 13th general elections.
“If it is true what the Chief Minister said that Barisan Nasional will not punish the people who did not vote for them, then show it to us. Show us your sincerity that no matter what happens, you will respect the decision of the people,” said Liew.
