FT Ministerial Council to rachet up development in KL

PUTRAJAYA: A Federal Territory Ministerial Council has been established to provide an avenue for the participation of members of parliament in Kuala Lumpur when implementing plans and developments for the national capital.
Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abd Samad said the matter was decided yesterday at the first meeting of the council held at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall Tower (DBKL). It was aimed at ensuring that the people's voice was highlighted in the development planning of the capital thus ensuring transparency and accountability.
He said the council would have higher authority and position than DBKL in making negotiations and decisions on any project in the city.
"In the past, the structure of the Barisan Nasional government did not involve discussions with the members of parliament since the structure had the mayor and the director in it. So, there was no room for elected representatives to be given a role.
"To overcome this problem, I set up the Federal Territory Ministerial Council, which has a higher position than DBKL to plan with representatives of the people on the development aspect of Kuala Lumpur," he said after launching the Durian Vaganza Festival at Padang Arena, Putrajaya Equestrian Park, here today.
Prior to this, Khalid said there were many programmes implemented by DBKL, but were not known by Kuala Lumpur MPs as they were the opposition representatives.
He said, however, the involvement of the people's representatives in the ministerial council meeting was currently only for development planning after 2020, as planning for up 2020 were already in place.
"In general, the involvement of the people's representatives will cover many things like DBKL's budget and programmes, in fact DBKL needs help from the people's representatives as they have grassroots support.
"So, they can channel the complaints. To me, this matter requires a two-way communication," he said. — Bernama