MBI must come out clean on its financial status
mslee
Media Statement by M.Kula Segaran Deputy Secretary General DAP
Malaysia and Secretary DAP, Perak in Ipoh on Thursday 20thNov03
MBI must come out clean on its financial status: Convene emergency
meeting of the City council to inform the rate payers the true
financial problem of MBI
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The employees of Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh(MBI) have been finally paid the
allowances for the October2003 today by the City council.
But all out standing allowances due to the appointed councilors were
paid on time with out without any fuss.
On 27th May 1987 Ipoh was granted city status and the local authority
became known a City Council or MBI. Datok Sirajuddin b Haji Salleh the
present Mayor was appointed on 3rd December 02 as the 5th Mayor of
MBI.
Never before has the MBI or its predecessors (Municipality or the Ipoh
Sanitary and Town Board) have ever delayed in the payment of
allowances or salary of its employees.
The MBI has a yearly budget where all the income and expenses of MBI
are set out and worked out in detail. For the year 2003 the MBI in its
budget never ever mentioned they are financial difficulties. But
contrary to this the budget mentioned all the goodies. How untrue and
unreliable the budget of MBI is to its ratepayers?
Although I attended the budget session 2003 the MBI authorities
refused to provide a copy of the Mayor Budget speech to me. I am a
rate payer of the MBI! A copy of the budget speech was extended to
each and every reporter present in the MBI Dewan. The MBI should be
people friendly and make available all public transactions available
to its rate payers. After all whose monies are the MBI administrating.
Where is public accountability on the part of MBI?
By a circular to its workers the MBI have notified them that the MBI
would be delaying in the payment of wages, overtime claims and
traveling allowances. Overtime claims and traveling allowances would
usually be paid by the 15th of each month.
MBI Circular 6/03 dated 14thNov03 states "dimaklumkan bahawa setelah
mengambilkira kedudukan kewangan majlis pada masa ini, pihak Majlis ….
Telah memutuskan supaya mulai bulan November, 2003 pembayaran eluan
lebihmasa dan elaun perjalanan akan dibayar pada hari kerja terakhir
pada setiap bulan.
Now where are the appointed local councilors of the MBI? Can the local
councilors at least enlighten the ratepayers of Ipoh of how serious
the financial predicament of the MBI is? The 22 appointed local
councilors of MBI should demand the Mayor to convene an emergency
meeting to discuss the financial mess of MBI. Those MBI officers who
have been responsible in painting a favorable financial picture of the
MBI 2003 budget must be made accountable and action taken accordingly
against them.
The councilors and the Mayor must do the explanation of the current
financial position of MBI. Can MBI pay its employees wages allowances
and other out goings for the next few months. Will roads and
maintenance of public utilities be compromised?
Finally today a group of MBI workers met us to tank the DAP for the
help rendered by us.
M.Kula Segarn
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