Source: http://m.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/dbkl-detailed-budget-disclosed-to-mps-but-labelled-confidential
(BY PATHMA SUBRAMANIAM 17/10/2014)
In
an unprecedented move City Hall, better known by its Malay acronym DBKL, has
disclosed its next year’s budget to all 12 federal territory MPs but placed a
caveat by classifying the document under the Official Secrets Act (OSA).
Lauding
the move Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said never before has DBKL been so upfront on
its plans and proposed expenditure but rebuked the caveat placed on the budget
noting that it is taxpayers’ money.
“The
City Hall’s detailed budget was personally handed to us at our service centre
three days in advance so that we can scrutinise and prepare for the meeting
this morning and the officers were all prepared to answer to all our queries,”
he told Malay Mail Online.
“This
is surprising… usually they invite us, give us a few pages with a vague list on
what they are going to spend on and it was always a one-way briefing,” said
Lim.
Lim
said every page was stamped confidential and upon clarification, he was told by
Mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib that the secret document was given to the
MPs “based on trust”.
DBKL
decided to keep it under wraps as the budget has not been finalised and will be
embargoed till December 31 after it is approved by the mayor, added Lim, after
attending the three hour briefing this morning.
“But
I don’t agree with the decision to list it under OSA when they are spending
public money for public services and infrastructure… it is not like it is an
issue of national security.
“It
is also unacceptable because the national Budget is only embargoed until the
prime minister announces it in Parliament, after which it is debated and passed
by the Dewan Rakyat,” Lim pointed out.
Echoing
Lim’s sentiments, Lembah Pantai PKR MP Nurul Izzah Anwar tweeted today
expressing disappointment as she was looking forward to the briefing.
“Brimming
w excitement @ d sight of detailed DBKL budget during meet w Mayor today. Then.
Oh, it’s under #OSA,” posted Nurul Izzah.
DBKL
came under attack earlier this year following an upward revision of taxes in
January after residential and commercial property owners in the capital had
cried foul after receiving notices from DBKL informing them of increases
between 100 and 250 per cent to their existing annual rates.
Following
public outcry, the City Hall agreed to rework the rates and reduced the per
centage property owners had to paid.
It
came under the spotlight again in July when Federal Territories Minister Datuk
Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor announced that soup kitchens would be barred
from operating within a 2km zone in the city centre as their operations are
encouraging homelessness and reflected poorly on the image of the nation’s
capital.
The
soup kitchens had, however, refused to budge until DBKL came up with more
concrete solution to combat vagrancy.
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