MP slams DBKL over lack of transparency

Source: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=26715%3Amp-slams-dbkl-over-lack-of-transparency&Itemid=2#.Txq1VWcNDDk.facebook (Written by Douglas Tan, Malaysia Chronicle, 21/1/2012)
Segambut Member of Parliament Lim Lip Eng today slammed DBKL over the lack of transparency by their refusal to reveal the details of the recently approved RM2.3 billion DBKL Budget for 2012.
At an open consultation meeting on Thursday 19th January, with the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Seri Ahmad Fuad bin Ismail, the mayor informed YB Lim that he was unable to provide a detailed copy of the budget, and that only a “ringkas” (summary) was available. When asked as to why the full budget could not be made available to the public, the mayor remained silent and refused to give an answer.
“This is outrageous,” Lim exclaimed. “Why are DBKL unable to provide us with a detailed copy of the budget? As wakil rakyat, we have the responsibility to report back to our constituencies as to how the money is being spent!”
Where is the People First?
The DAP MP was quick to point out that this went against Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s pledge to ensure greater transparency and accountability, consistent with the principle of “Rakyat Didahulukan”. “Even in parliament, we are given a full copy of the national budget before it is debated,” he said. “How come we are unable to get a copy of the DBKL budget, especially after it has been approved?”
YB Lim lamented that although he was a member of parliament in Kuala Lumpur, DBKL is accountable only to the Prime Minister’s department, and is not answerable to elected representatives. “It insults the intelligence of the people of Kuala Lumpur when a local government refuses to disclose how they want to spend the taxpayer’s money, especially as they are appointed not elected. I call on the Prime Minister to show his sincerity for reforms by forcing DBKL to release their full budget to the public.”
A check on the DBKL website on Saturday 21st January showed that no details of the 2012 budget were available. The 2012 DBKL budget is almost 44% larger than the entire budget of the state of Selangor which is RM1.6 billion.