New Penang councillors sworn-in

GEORGE TOWN: The 48 councillors in Penang — 24 in the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and 24 in the Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) — need to be outspoken and not "yes" men in ensuring that the promises of quality living can be realised after Pakatan Harapan swept to an overwhelming victory here in the 14th General Election.
Kabun Bunga assemblyman Jason Ong Khan Lee and civil society activist Dr Lim Mah Hui both said the third level of governance — the local government — needs to have critical minded councillors.
"This is especially with the promise of local council elections still fresh in the minds of voters," Ong said, adding that Pakatan must meet this electoral promise.
He urged the authorities to come up with a roadmap towards the proposed local government elections.
Only through a critical mindset can the local government improve on its delivery system to the ratepayers — the days of clogged drainage, littering, unlicensed premises and backlog assessments should now be over with if the council fulfil its duties, he added.
Responding to the swearing-in of 24 councillors in the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) before Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, Ong said the councillors must also be reform-minded in revamping the island's structure plan in keeping up with the changes in the climate and the economy.
Lim meanwhile, expressed dismay that the state government continues to ignore the need to appoint more personalities from the civil society.
"We applied for several slots but as usual, they only accorded one."
He said that the councillors must understand that their duties are to serve the ratepayers, not the political masters who had appointed them.
Altogether, there are 15 new faces in MBPP and 11 in MPSP.