THE third estate of any government is the local authorities or city halls.
Local authorities can make or break all actions of the government.
As the gatekeepers of projects and the well-being of a society, community and the nation at large, local authorities play a pivotal role in formulating the likes and dislikes of all.
As an active social worker who is closely associated with community and societal works, I am obliged to pen my appreciation to the following officers who have made a world of difference to me and the community in which I live and thrive daily.
They are Cheremi Atan, Lee Lih Shyan, Dr Chithradavi Vadivellu and Fauzi Maarop, who are four Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MBPJ) officers that are the most affectionate, passionate and caring in performing their tasks and duties in making Petaling Jaya a greater place to live.
Cheremi, who was with MBPJ as the director of engineering and now has become the deputy mayor of Selayang, is a gem of an officer, who diligently picks up his calls and answers them most professionally and courteously.
Working with him during my tenure as the Bandar Sri Damansara Residents Association president has been a pleasure and has brought the residents immense benefits.
While he was in the Shah Alam Municipal Council, I did reach out to him about issues surrounding Shah Alam.
He was always receptive and resolved the issues within a
few days.
He is one man who answers his call, even though he is overseas.
Lee is the man behind turning Petaling Jaya into an environmentally conscious township.
His recycling and sustainability programmes are effectively running on the ground. Bandar Sri Damansara residents are always grateful to him for ensuring our township waste is collected on time and per the schedule.
We are also proud to be an active recycling community, where we recycle our plastics, papers, glasses and cans.
We have been converted effectively by this man and his vision to make our city a garden city.
His sustainability knowledge and sharing are immeasurable to our society and community.
Dr Chithradavi Vadivellu, the medical doctor who cares much for the Petaling Jaya residents, has come back after retirement to serve the MBPJ as she has much to give.
Chithradavi’s collective care and attention in curbing our dirty eateries and overall cleanliness in preparing us for dengue and even Covid-19 are exemplary services that we shall never forget due to her leadership and motherly care for the citizens of Petaling Jaya.
Her infectious smile makes the day for any complainant.
Last but not least is Fauzi, the director of enforcement.
He is a hardworking man who responds to any feedback most proactively and responsively.
Be it an illegal hawker, stalled cars, or improper parking in any part of Petaling Jaya, he will immediately swing in with his officers and get the job done; restoring peace, order and overall safety in the area.
Fauzi never fails to answer his calls even though he is on leave.
He is a great civil servant who has been a top-class public servant.
He acts on all complaints in the most professional and timely manner.
Even if the complaint is not under his purview, he will take action by getting the relevant parties to act on the complaints.
Malaysia is still developing. We need every sector of society to work cohesively to make a greater nation.
It is officers such as this at MBPJ that will make a difference.
Imagine if we have these officers in every local authority or city hall, we will surely build greater Malaysia.
It is the officers who connect the rakyat to the government and they are the ones who will show their gratitude through the ballot box.
I would like to urge all the local authorities in Malaysia to invite officers such as Cherimi, Lee, Dr Chithradavi and Fauzi to share their knowledge and experience with other officers.
I hope these officers will continue serving our nation and bringing out the best in the city halls and local authorities, making Malaysia a greater nation.
I salute you, my dear officers. You are an invaluable asset to our nation.
Ravindran Raman Kutty
Kuala Lumpur
