Role of a State Legislator

Compiled by Joey

Your State Assembly Representative, or Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN), represents you in the State Assembly. They are your main link to the decision makers of the country.

A State Assemblymen and a Member of Parliament play similar roles as law makers or legislators. The former makes state laws, while the latter makes federal laws — both in accordance with the Federal Constitution.

For example, the state can pass laws on matters relating to land, agriculture, forestry, local government, riverine fishing and Muslim law, among others. It shares jurisdiction with the federal government on matters relating to social welfare, scholarships, protection of wildlife and town and country planning. State legislation does not cover areas such as internal security, defence, civil and criminal law, citizenship, finance, communications, health, labour and commerce and shipping industry.

As laid out by Dr Azmi Sharom, associate professor of Universiti Malaya (http://getanmp.blogspot.com/2008/02/mps-role-jaga-longkang-settle-saman.html), your ADUN's primary duty is to debate and vote on the proposed laws (known as Bills) to ensure that the best possible laws are made. Therefore, they should be well-informed about the Bills they are discussing to be able to debate intelligently.

Your ADUN also helps to check and critique the way government policy is made and implemented and to hold the Executive accountable and help prevent abuse of power.
Your ADUN may also raise issues that are of concern to their constituency, which may be discussed and even legislated. If you would like to raise an issue or a concern to YB Edward Lee, you can contact him at edwardlee.pj[at]gmail.com.

More on state legislative assemblies
There are 13 State Legislative Assemblies (Dewan Undangan Negeri or DUN) in Malaysia, corresponding with the 13 states. Each DUN comprises the head of state, a Speaker and elected representatives. State representatives are chosen via state elections, usually held simultaneously with federal elections.

In Selangor, for example, there are 56 ADUNs. A state assembly member's term is limited to five years. The state assembly must be dissolved before or upon expiration of its term for a fresh election to elect its members.

Local government councillors
For the time being, your state government also appoints local government councilors who make up the Local Authority, namely local municipal councils. Your councillors assist in the management and decision-making processes of the Local Authority by making by-laws and sitting on committees.

The Local Authority is in charge of the management of districts, towns and cities, specifically in the areas of: local environmental matters, licensing of activities, public health, cleanliness of public areas, public amenities, social services and land use planning.

If you have a problem with any of the above issues, you may contact MBPJ at their hotline 03-7954 2020 or your Bukit Gasing Councilors (http://edwardleepj.blogspot.com/2008/09/bukit-gasing-councillors.html).

Peaceful protest over development

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/12/30/central/2908589&sec=central
By TAN KARR WEI

PETALING JAYA residents ended the year with a strong message that they intend to be heard.
About 200 residents from the area turned up in front of the FAS field in Kelana Jaya to stage a peaceful protest against the development of a commercial hub consisting of:

• 20 units of 6½ storey shoplots
• 72 units of 4½ storey shoplots
• two 15 to 28 storey office blocks with 8 levels of podium
• 1 basement car park, and
• four electricity sub-stations.

The protest was organised by the All Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Residents’ Association Coalition (APAC).

Among some of the banners held by residents read “PJ is Overdeveloped” and “Dear developer, we fully support similar development if it is behind/in front/beside YOUR house.”

Taman Mayang Rukun Tetangga chairman Chan Chow Wang said that the jam along the LDP was unbearable and other developments in the area such as the Paradigm was already underway.

“We can’t even get in and out of Taman Mayang from the LDP. When we try to make a U-turn into our area, a stretch of about 500m would take us at least half and hour. To make matters worse, many people are parking along the LDP in front of the Kelana Jaya LRT station,” said Chan.

Chan said that the land was given to FAS to be used as a football field and it was unthinkable to convert the land for commercial use.

APAC chairman Liew Wei Beng said that they would submit an official objection to the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).

“We want this open area to be maintained. The development of this commercial hub will lead to further congestion along the LDP and increase traffic at the tunnel leading into Ara Damansara,” said Liew.

He added that the APAC would also raise the issue of land conversion from institutional to commercial without due process and consultation.

“The first development order was approved in 2006. As far as we know, none of the residents have been consulted before the MBPJ issued the development order then,” said Liew.

Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua said that the residents have spoken loud and clear and steps should be taken to retain as many open spaces as possible.

“There is enough congestion and there should be no development until the traffic problem is solved,” said Pua, who agreed that consultation with residents should have been carried out when converting the land for commercial use.

MBPJ councillor Cynthi Gabriel said that the turnout for the protest was encouraging but that residents still need to submit official objections to the council.

Councillor Mak Khuin Weng said that he was concerned about the discrepancies brought up by residents and would bring up the issue with the MBPJ town planning department.

Many residents in the surrounding area were also upset that only a handful received letters from the MBPJ regarding the development. One resident also claimed that the MBPJ was misleading the people as the objection board put up at the site of the development had no mention of the two blocks of 15- to 28-storey office buildings but it was mentioned in the letters which not many residents received.

Also present was Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee.

Quick Response Team for PJ

By Oh Ing Yeen at the MBPJ full board meeting
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/9/27/central/2131183&sec=central

THE Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will implement the Quick Response Team (QRT) to handle minor grouses in the city beginning Jan 1, 2009, PJ mayor Roslan Sakiman announced at the MBPJ December full board meeting.

“There will be 10 officers from various departments, such as the Landscape, Engineering and Health departments, in the team, for multi-skills and multi-tasking,” he said.

The idea was proposed by MBPJ councillor Michael Soon at the September full board meeting.

PJ folk can look forward to more good news in 2009, such as free medical services for the hardcore poor, people with disabilities, and senior citizens in PJ.

“It costs RM2 million to provide these facilities and only those who have registered are eligible to enjoy free medical treatment at the clinic located in Section 8,” the mayor said.

He added that hygiene and cleanliness would also be a priority in 2009.

Soon: The owner of a closed eatery even said:
‘What’s wrong with being dirty as long as the food tastes good?'

Public Hygiene and Sanitation Committee head Michael Soon said a holistic approach should be taken to tackle cleanliness problems and that people should boycott dirty eateries.

“It’s sad to note that the situation has not changed much. The members of parliament and assemblymen should also co-operate and not take sides.

“The owner of a closed eatery even said: ‘What’s wrong with being dirty as long as the food tastes good?’ The press is hitting on MBPJ (over the issue of hygiene and cleanliness) as it’s more sensational, but why don’t the writers urge the readers to boycott the dirty eateries instead?” he said, adding that, “With garbage hanging on trees, it’s like we have Christmas trees all year long.”

On the issue of illegal billboards in PJ, the mayor announced that seven billboards would be taken down in two to three weeks’ time.

“These billboards were erected in such a way that they would endanger the public,” he said. The billboards that will be taken down include those that are located near the Seri Setia KTM station, Church of St. Francis Xavier and the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) field.

Councillor Derek Fernandez added, “The council is now fine-tuning the guidelines for billboards and we are studying , and deciding on, appropriate sites for the placement of billboards.”

Many councillors brought up the issue of the council’s delivery system and the need to buck up.

“The public wants to see visible changes. There should be service standards for services (such as mending potholes, cutting of trees) to be carried out within a certain time-frame,” Fernandez said.

In his speech, Roslan said that a Strategic Organisation Plan (Pelan Strategik Organisasi) was one of the ways to improve the city council’s delivery system.

“The Plan is important in the MBPJ as a whole as it would be the goal for every department’s plan and implementation.

“As the local authority, the MBPJ is the government’s front-line agency that is most important and closest to the public in delivering its services. Therefore, the services that the public gets from the MBPJ reflects the delivery system’s quality and efficiency as a whole,” he said.

Some councillors also brought up the issue of communication between councillors and the MBPJ department heads.

“Being part-time councillors, we may overlook certain matters as we are too busy, and the council staff just wait for us to follow up,” councillor Latheefa Beebi Koya said, pointing out that it was important for pro-active measures and for the councillors and MBPJ to work hand in hand.

Soon proposed that a Management for Change workshop be organised for councillors and MBPJ staff to deal with change since the Selangor state government is now under Pakatan Rakyat.

Council Anthony Thanasayan suggested that the MBPJ create more job opportunities for the disabled.

More details of the MBPJ 2009 budget are available on the MBPJ website: www.mbpj.gov.my.

Proposal to let Myanmarese refugees work

http://www.thenutgraph.com/proposal-to-let-myanmar-refugees-work

By Elizabeth Looi

Refugees are hiding out in jungles

PETALING JAYA, 9 Dec 2008: Undocumented refugees from Myanmar who are hiding out in jungles in Selangor may be allowed to work legally in the state, if a proposal by Bukit Gasing state assemblyperson Edward Lee comes to fruition.

"I will propose to the state government to allow them to work legally and under conditions that will benefit both the state and the Burmese communities.

"I think they should also be allowed to occupy abandoned housing projects in the state. They can be given the task of resuscitating the projects by providing labour at reasonable wages, paid by developers appointed by the government to complete the work," he told The Nut Graph.

If the government takes the initiative and allows the refugees this opportunity, they wouldn't have to stay in the jungle in a deplorable state, Lee added.

This will be a win-win situation as the refugees will get a place to stay, earn a small decent income, and not be hounded by the authorities because of their illegal status. The developers, on the other hand, get to complete and sell their projects, Lee added. The government benefits, as by doing so it avoids bad publicity and a logistic nightmare.

Lee added that there were a lot of Myanmarese refugees who had to live in the jungle to avoid authorities such as Rela, the civil volunteer corps who are empowered to arrest illegal immigrants.

He said although there are also those who stay in the city, many refugees are forced to work illegally, leading to cases of them being exploited.

Lee's proposal has found favour with non-governmental organisation Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram). Its refugee coordinator Temme Lee said it was a great move by the state government but the biggest obstacle still lies within the federal government.

"But it's important that this is done with proper procedure to avoid conflict with the federal government.

"The problem is they (the refugees) need proper documentation that is recognised by Rela and the government," she said when contacted.

She added that Suaram had been trying to push for the government to allow refugees to work and live in the country.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) also lauded the proposal but said it must however be a holistic approach for all refugees instead of just the minority who hide in the jungle.

External relations officer Yante Ismail said although she could not comment specifically on Lee's proposal, any move to allow refugees to earn an income would benefit the country.

"It is pragmatic to allow the group of people to remain in the country and provide help because they cannot possibly return home. While they are in the country, let them do something to help the country.

"Refugees are highly resourceful and they don't want to accept charity or welfare. It's a solution that is both practical and humane," she said.

Yante noted that such a move would reflect well on Malaysia, which has had a long tradition of hosting refugees since 1975.

"Therefore, a solution like this does not go against what Malaysia stands for," she said, adding that there were 42,800 refugees registered with the UNHCR as of September 2008, of which 37,800 were from Myanmar.

She however said that Malaysia was neither a signatory to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees nor its 1967 Protocol."It has no legislative or administrative provisions in place to deal with the situation of asylum-seekers or refugees in the country," Yante said.