Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Not allowed to enter MPSJ full board council meeting - MPSJ's meetings are secret meetings?

I am writing this blog from MPSJ building through their wireless broadband connection.

Below is a letter which I emailed and faxed to the Council YDP's office last week, informing the Council that I will attend the MPSJ Full Board Council Meeting scheduled on 28th August (which was later postponed to 30th August 2006).

My intention to attend the meeting is to observe of whether the council is going to decide on the current pest control scandal whereby the council has recently appointed seven companies to "monopoly" pest control exercisen in area under the jurisdiction of the Council. Failing so, business operators will not be allowed to apply or renew their license.

These companies are later confirmed that they are not recognised by Pesticide Board of the Council, as well as Pest Control Association Malaysia (PCAM).

I arrived at the Council meeting hall, Bilik Mesyuarat Kenanga, Level 2 of the Council's building and was asked to leave by the Council Secretary saying that we are not allowed to enter and we must get approval from the Council President, Dato' Mohd Arif Bin Ab. Rahman, before we can enter.

Also attending the meeting was Mr Thomas Goh, the DAP Bukit Gasing Branch Treasurer. I argued that the meeting should be an open meeting and that the meeting should not conducted in such a secrecy that the Council create so many obstacles for taxpayers and the public to attend the council full board meeting.

The Council Secretary immediately told me that we should write in to the YDP's office to "seek" for approval. I immediately replied that unless the Council wants to hide something from public knowledge, then there is no reason for the Council to close everything from the public knowledge.

If proceeding of the highest legislative council in this country, the proceeding of Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara, as well as the Selangor State Legislative Council Meeting (DUN) can be opened to public with simple registration, I do not see any reason why the Council has to be that bureaucratic, undiplomatic (as if we are terrorists) in allowing the public to attend their full board meeting.

We were still not allowed to stay in the meeting room and I rushed to the YDP's office to negotiate with him (At that time, he was not seen in the meeting room yet, meaning that he could still be in his office). I spoken to the guard, he then informed the YDP's PA. I waited for 15 minutes but there are still no people coming out from the office to talk to us while the meeting has already started.

I met a reporters 30 minutes ago and she told me that the council is discussing on the pest control fiasco. She told me that Councilors Lee Hwa Beng is absent. Liew Yuen Keong, Yap Yuen Fatt and Kow Cheong Wei are there. She also said "six or seven Councilors is speaking on this issue but the YDP is very firm on this" but I am not informed of who are the "six or seven Councilors".

Councilor Awtar Singh came out and spoke to me and told me that I should know the procedure. I immediately replied him that what procedure had I not followed when I already emailed and faxed the YDP that I will be attending the meeting. Was he too busy until he had not time to reply my email? Or he does not use email?

"Well, if you have done that, then there should not be any problem." He said.

I told that that should be the way, I am not coming to disturb the meeting. I am merely attending, and I wrote in although the meeting should be conducted openly.

He was speechless.

I am now waiting outside the meeting hall and I will conduct a press conference with the reporters once the meeting is over.

Lau Weng San
DAP Selangor Publicity Secretary.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: PEMBERITAHU KEHADIRAN WAKIL DAP SELANGOR KE MESYUARAT BULANAN MAJLIS PERBANDARAN SUBANG JAYA
Date: Fri, 25 Aug 2006 15:47:23 +0800
From: LAU Weng San
To: arif@mpsj.gov.my


Rujukan Kami: Letter-MPSJ-Pestcontrol-20060825

Tarikh: 25 Ogos 2006

Dato' Mohd Arif Bin Ab. Rahman
Yang Di-Pertua,
Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya,
Persiaran Perpaduan,USJ 5,
47610 Subang Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan
Tel: 03-8026 3102, Faks: 03-5637 6569 Melalui Faks dan Emel

PEMBERITAHU KEHADIRAN WAKIL DAP SELANGOR KE MESYUARAT BULANAN MAJLIS PERBANDARAN SUBANG JAYA

Dengan segala hormatnya bahawa saya ingin memaklumkan kepada pihak MPSJ bahawa wakil-wakil daripada DAP Selangor akan menghadiri sidang mesyuarat bulanan MPSJ pada 9:30pagi, 28 Ogos 2006.

Sekian, terima kasih.

Yang benar,

Lau Weng San
Setiausaha Publisiti DAP Selangor.
(016-3231563)

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