KUALA LUMPUR: Property developers are behaving more and more like local councils, Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah said, noting that this has given rise to the current form of townships that are not centralised and are dominated and led by private developers.
There are developers who are acting like local councils as the latter have not been taking the lead, and this is a cause for concern, he said.
Raja Kamarul noted that traditionally, the local governments were the decision makers but this fact has changed of late.
“Long ago, it was the local government that determines what developers should build, creating markets, shopping malls, commercial, industrial, agricultural and entertainment areas, and of course, knowing how many homes need to be built because they know the population in the area,” he said in his keynote address at the opening of the one-day Housing and Property Development Colloquium on “Reimagining the Housing and Property Industry in the New Malaysia” here yesterday.
“But now, the role has shifted to the developers, giving rise to the current form of townships that are not centralised and are dominated and led by private developers,” he said.
“Most concerning is the recent trend that developers are behaving more and more like the local council themselves, in having their own private security for substantial portions of residential and commercial areas as an example, and other provisions of services and infrastructure.
“Although the local governments retain power and control where their approval is needed to build, they have often failed to take a more proactive role,” said Raja Kamarul.
He also highlighted that some local governments have failed in providing basic services to the people, causing developers to step in to fill the void.
“Local governments must find the will and desire to see their own town, cities and districts develop into comfortable townships and not allow developers to take entire pieces of land and create their own defacto privatised local government,” he said.
He also said this is why the government is looking to bring back local government elections, in order to bring back a sense of accountability by local governments.
“Once constituted, citizens can take leaders of the local government to task when services and facilities are not up to par. This should lead to more tangible and improved living conditions for the rakyat,” added Raja Kamarul.
Credit:
Ahmad Naqib Idris The Edge Financial Daily
KUALA LUMPUR: Property developers are behaving more and more like local councils, Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah said, noting that this has given rise to the current form of townships that are not centralised and are dominated and led by private developers.
There are developers who are acting like local councils as the latter have not been taking the lead, and this is a cause for concern, he said.
Raja Kamarul noted that traditionally, the local governments were the decision makers but this fact has changed of late.
“Long ago, it was the local government that determines what developers should build, creating markets, shopping malls, commercial, industrial, agricultural and entertainment areas, and of course, knowing how many homes need to be built because they know the population in the area,” he said in his keynote address at the opening of the one-day Housing and Property Development Colloquium on “Reimagining the Housing and Property Industry in the New Malaysia” here yesterday.
“But now, the role has shifted to the developers, giving rise to the current form of townships that are not centralised and are dominated and led by private developers,” he said.
“Most concerning is the recent trend that developers are behaving more and more like the local council themselves, in having their own private security for substantial portions of residential and commercial areas as an example, and other provisions of services and infrastructure.
“Although the local governments retain power and control where their approval is needed to build, they have often failed to take a more proactive role,” said Raja Kamarul.
He also highlighted that some local governments have failed in providing basic services to the people, causing developers to step in to fill the void.
“Local governments must find the will and desire to see their own town, cities and districts develop into comfortable townships and not allow developers to take entire pieces of land and create their own defacto privatised local government,” he said.
He also said this is why the government is looking to bring back local government elections, in order to bring back a sense of accountability by local governments.
“Once constituted, citizens can take leaders of the local government to task when services and facilities are not up to par. This should lead to more tangible and improved living conditions for the rakyat,” added Raja Kamarul.
Credit: Ahmad Naqib Idris The Edge Financial Daily
GEORGE TOWN: A non-governmental organisation has lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) against two Penang Island City Council (MBPP) councillors for alleged abuse of power.
Persatuan Surplus Pulau Pinang chairman Sophian Mohd Zain urged the commission to probe the matter thoroughly.
He said the first case involved councillor Sharuddin Shariff who lives in a public housing unit in Sungai Pinang despite receiving a monthly allowance of RM4,000 from the council.
"This is not right at all," he said before lodging the report accompanied by former MBPP councillor Syazwani Mohd Amin.
Sophian also lodged another report against councillor Azrizal Tahir whom he alleged held two state-appointed posts.
He said Azrizal as a councillor should not have held the Village and Security Development Committee (JKKK) post and receive allowances from both positions.
When contacted, Azrizal urged the complainant not to trouble the MACC by asking them to probe cases with no basis.
He said those who lodge such reports should do their homework first.
"A press conference will be arranged to explain the matter soon," he said briefly.
Source: Edmund Lee newsdesk@thesundaily.com
MACC reports filed against PKR duo
GEORGE TOWN: Two PKR’s Penang Island city councillors have denied any wrongdoings as alleged by two non-governmental organisations which lodged reports with the state anti-graft body.
One of them, a four-term councillor, said there were no rules or regulations to prevent a councillor from becoming a village development and security committee (JKKK) chairman.
“But under a state policy which was enforced last year, we were advised not to hold the two positions at the same time.
“I have since let go of my JKKK post. I urge the complainants to check with the district office first and not to hurl baseless allegations against us,” he said when contacted.
Earlier, two NGOs – Persatuan Kebajikan Surplus Pulau Pinang and Kota – lodged reports with the Penang MACC over the alleged wrongdoings of the two councillors in Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah yesterday.
Persatuan Kebajikan Surplus chairman Sophian Mohd Zain claimed one councillor was the JKKK chairman of Permatang Damar Laut.
“A councillor receives allowance from the local government while a JKKK post is appointed by the state government. This is a conflict of interest.
“We hope the state government will clear the air in the name of CAT (Competency, Accountability and Transparency),” he said.
Also present was former councillor Noor Syazwani Md Amin, who was terminated from her post in April.
Sophian also claimed that a first-term councillor still had a People’s Housing Programme (PPR) flat in Sungai Pinang despite having an allowance of RM4,000.
The maximum eligible household monthly income for a PPR applicant is RM2,500.
A councillor is entitled up to RM1,200 in allowances for attending meetings and a RM300 mobile phone subsidy.
“How could he still be holding the key to a PPR flat for a RM100 monthly rental? The PPR flats are meant for the poor.
“The councillors are the policy makers in the local government while the PPR flats are under the purview of the council.
“I don’t think the council staff would dare to act against the councillors,” he added.
Sophian hoped the MACC would investigate the matter.
The said councillor could not be reached for comment.
GEORGE TOWN: A non-governmental organisation has lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) against two Penang Island City Council (MBPP) councillors for alleged abuse of power.
Persatuan Surplus Pulau Pinang chairman Sophian Mohd Zain urged the commission to probe the matter thoroughly.
He said the first case involved councillor Sharuddin Shariff who lives in a public housing unit in Sungai Pinang despite receiving a monthly allowance of RM4,000 from the council.
"This is not right at all," he said before lodging the report accompanied by former MBPP councillor Syazwani Mohd Amin.
Sophian also lodged another report against councillor Azrizal Tahir whom he alleged held two state-appointed posts.
He said Azrizal as a councillor should not have held the Village and Security Development Committee (JKKK) post and receive allowances from both positions.
When contacted, Azrizal urged the complainant not to trouble the MACC by asking them to probe cases with no basis.
He said those who lodge such reports should do their homework first.
"A press conference will be arranged to explain the matter soon," he said briefly.
Source: Edmund Lee newsdesk@thesundaily.com
MACC reports filed against PKR duo
GEORGE TOWN: Two PKR’s Penang Island city councillors have denied any wrongdoings as alleged by two non-governmental organisations which lodged reports with the state anti-graft body.
One of them, a four-term councillor, said there were no rules or regulations to prevent a councillor from becoming a village development and security committee (JKKK) chairman.
“But under a state policy which was enforced last year, we were advised not to hold the two positions at the same time.
“I have since let go of my JKKK post. I urge the complainants to check with the district office first and not to hurl baseless allegations against us,” he said when contacted.
Earlier, two NGOs – Persatuan Kebajikan Surplus Pulau Pinang and Kota – lodged reports with the Penang MACC over the alleged wrongdoings of the two councillors in Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah yesterday.
Persatuan Kebajikan Surplus chairman Sophian Mohd Zain claimed one councillor was the JKKK chairman of Permatang Damar Laut.
“A councillor receives allowance from the local government while a JKKK post is appointed by the state government. This is a conflict of interest.
“We hope the state government will clear the air in the name of CAT (Competency, Accountability and Transparency),” he said.
Also present was former councillor Noor Syazwani Md Amin, who was terminated from her post in April.
Sophian also claimed that a first-term councillor still had a People’s Housing Programme (PPR) flat in Sungai Pinang despite having an allowance of RM4,000.
The maximum eligible household monthly income for a PPR applicant is RM2,500.
A councillor is entitled up to RM1,200 in allowances for attending meetings and a RM300 mobile phone subsidy.
“How could he still be holding the key to a PPR flat for a RM100 monthly rental? The PPR flats are meant for the poor.
“The councillors are the policy makers in the local government while the PPR flats are under the purview of the council.
“I don’t think the council staff would dare to act against the councillors,” he added.
Sophian hoped the MACC would investigate the matter.
The said councillor could not be reached for comment.
Hard lesson: After settling his assessment arrears, Chua Yung Lin, 37, finally receives the key (inside envelope) to unlock the chain used to seal up his unit at Taman Seri Hijau in Van Praagh Road, Penang. (Above) A closeup of the notice from the council pasted on the grille gate. — CHARLES MARI ASOOSAY/The Star
A SALESMAN is furious that his apartment unit was padlocked by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) because he failed to pay two years of assessment arrears amounting to RM468.86.
A council official, however, defended the action, saying that MBPP was empowered to do so under the Local Government Act 1976 if a ratepayer failed to pay a year’s assessment.
Chua Yung Lin, 37, got the keys to the padlock when he paid up the arrears as well as the RM111.86 second half assessment for this year and a RM20 penalty in Komtar on Wednesday after a neighbour informed him a day earlier that the MBPP had sealed the unit.
But he is adamant in not unlocking the padlock himself, saying that the council should do so as its officials were the ones who locked up the unit.
“They gave me all the keys to the padlock and when I asked them if I needed to return the chain and padlock, they told me I could keep them,” Chua told reporters outside the unit at Taman Seri Hijau in Van Praagh Road, Penang, yesterday.
He lodged a police report on Wednesday to inform the police that he had settled the arrears and for his safety should he decide to unlock the place himself.
Chua, who has been renting out the unit for the past three years, said it was dangerous for MBPP to padlock the unit as there could be someone inside who would not be able to escape should there be an emergency.
“Thankfully, there was no one in the apartment as I think my tenants have gone out of town,” he added.
He claimed to have forgotten to pay the assessment because his tenants did not inform him of the bills.
Penang Gerakan vice-chairman Lee Boon Ten said MBPP had acted prematurely and could be charged with criminal negligence for sealing the gate of an occupied home.
“He only owed them a nominal amount. If someone was inside the apartment when they locked it, it would have been false imprisonment,” said Lee who was also present.
MBPP treasury revenue unit head Suhaida Kamalul Ariffin said Section 148(3) of the Local Government Act 1976 empowered the council to seal premises whose owners defaulted in a year’s assessment payment but the council usually only did so after the arrears were accumulated for two years.
“We can actually break down the door and seize the belongings inside. If we don’t do that to avoid destroying the door, we will seal the premises as an indication to the owner. This is however only carried out after we have checked to see if anyone is inside.
“Only after we are sure it is unoccupied, do we seal the premises,” she said when contacted yesterday.
Suhaida also said the council pasted a notice demanding the owner to settle the arrears on the unit’s grille gate in May.
“There was no response, leading us to seal the apartment. Once payment is made, we usually give the owner the keys to the lock as it is standard procedure to let them unlock it themselves,” she said.
Hard lesson: After settling his assessment arrears, Chua Yung Lin, 37, finally receives the key (inside envelope) to unlock the chain used to seal up his unit at Taman Seri Hijau in Van Praagh Road, Penang. (Above) A closeup of the notice from the council pasted on the grille gate. — CHARLES MARI ASOOSAY/The Star
A SALESMAN is furious that his apartment unit was padlocked by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) because he failed to pay two years of assessment arrears amounting to RM468.86.
A council official, however, defended the action, saying that MBPP was empowered to do so under the Local Government Act 1976 if a ratepayer failed to pay a year’s assessment.
Chua Yung Lin, 37, got the keys to the padlock when he paid up the arrears as well as the RM111.86 second half assessment for this year and a RM20 penalty in Komtar on Wednesday after a neighbour informed him a day earlier that the MBPP had sealed the unit.
But he is adamant in not unlocking the padlock himself, saying that the council should do so as its officials were the ones who locked up the unit.
“They gave me all the keys to the padlock and when I asked them if I needed to return the chain and padlock, they told me I could keep them,” Chua told reporters outside the unit at Taman Seri Hijau in Van Praagh Road, Penang, yesterday.
He lodged a police report on Wednesday to inform the police that he had settled the arrears and for his safety should he decide to unlock the place himself.
Chua, who has been renting out the unit for the past three years, said it was dangerous for MBPP to padlock the unit as there could be someone inside who would not be able to escape should there be an emergency.
“Thankfully, there was no one in the apartment as I think my tenants have gone out of town,” he added.
He claimed to have forgotten to pay the assessment because his tenants did not inform him of the bills.
Penang Gerakan vice-chairman Lee Boon Ten said MBPP had acted prematurely and could be charged with criminal negligence for sealing the gate of an occupied home.
“He only owed them a nominal amount. If someone was inside the apartment when they locked it, it would have been false imprisonment,” said Lee who was also present.
MBPP treasury revenue unit head Suhaida Kamalul Ariffin said Section 148(3) of the Local Government Act 1976 empowered the council to seal premises whose owners defaulted in a year’s assessment payment but the council usually only did so after the arrears were accumulated for two years.
“We can actually break down the door and seize the belongings inside. If we don’t do that to avoid destroying the door, we will seal the premises as an indication to the owner. This is however only carried out after we have checked to see if anyone is inside.
“Only after we are sure it is unoccupied, do we seal the premises,” she said when contacted yesterday.
Suhaida also said the council pasted a notice demanding the owner to settle the arrears on the unit’s grille gate in May.
“There was no response, leading us to seal the apartment. Once payment is made, we usually give the owner the keys to the lock as it is standard procedure to let them unlock it themselves,” she said.
Checks on local news reports show EBA bestowed ‘awards’ not just to Penang councils but also other Malaysian institutions.
GEORGE TOWN: Before the dust could settle on a shock expose that Penang municipal councils received “excellence” awards from a questionable outfit exposed by a UK newspaper, checks show that other Malaysian companies, universities and GLC execs were also recipients.
Checks by FMT show Malaysian companies, public universities and top executives of Malaysian government-linked companies had won awards from the dubious Europe Business Assembly (EBA) before.
UK’s The Times had alleged that EBA, run by Ukrainian businessmen, made use of the renowned Oxford University’s name and reputation to hand out awards to those who paid a sum.
According to EBA’s website, this year, seven Malaysian companies and their bosses were listed as award recipients.
Among them is a public-listed utilities company and an education provider.
Based on Malaysian news reports, past winners of EBA’s awards include three Malaysian public universities — namely Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia (UTeM) and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP).
USIM, UTeM and UniMAP received the “Best Regional University” award from EBA in 2013, according to a report by Utusan Malaysia on Dec 25, 2013.
Their vice-chancellors were reported in local Malaysian dailies to have won “Best Manager of The Year” in the same year as well.
One of the vice-chancellors was reported to have won “Best Scientist” separately from EBA’s “Oxford Summit of Leaders Science & Education”.
Another VC was reported to have won “The Name in Science” award, too.
EBA’s ‘International Socrates Award’
According to EBA’s website, the group is “an international corporation of social partnership” established in Oxford, UK, in 2000.
It lists developing and promoting social and economic links between companies, investors, education establishments, cities and countries worldwide as its main objectives.
The Times had reported that EBA advertises itself as an Oxford institution to sell “made-up prizes” such as “The International Socrates Award” and “The Queen Victoria Commemorative Award” for a price of up to £9,300 (RM52,000).
The report claimed the EBA outfit was run by Ukrainian businessmen, targeting areas where people had the financial power to buy such accolades.
A former employee told The Times that the outfit was told to focus on customers from the Middle East, eastern Europe and Russia “where the idea that money buys you credentials is still there”.
EBA was also revealed to have used images of Oxford colleges and even the same typefaces in its publicity materials.
It also claimed “exclusive” access to special lectures from Oxford, the report said.
However, the University of Oxford told the daily it has no relations with EBA.
“On the face of it, the guests gathered that evening did not have much to unite them.
Representatives from a Nigerian maritime security company rubbed shoulders with the vice-president of a Bulgarian mine.
“The founder of an international school in Malaysia mixed with the director of an Indian private medical institute,” The Times report read, in explaining the holding of an elaborate awards presentation ceremony.
Penang Island City Council and Seberang Perai Municipal Council accused of having paid for awards from a ‘bogus’ organisation, which was exposed by a UK daily.
Checks on local news reports show EBA bestowed ‘awards’ not just to Penang councils but also other Malaysian institutions.
GEORGE TOWN: Before the dust could settle on a shock expose that Penang municipal councils received “excellence” awards from a questionable outfit exposed by a UK newspaper, checks show that other Malaysian companies, universities and GLC execs were also recipients.
Checks by FMT show Malaysian companies, public universities and top executives of Malaysian government-linked companies had won awards from the dubious Europe Business Assembly (EBA) before.
UK’s The Times had alleged that EBA, run by Ukrainian businessmen, made use of the renowned Oxford University’s name and reputation to hand out awards to those who paid a sum.
According to EBA’s website, this year, seven Malaysian companies and their bosses were listed as award recipients.
Among them is a public-listed utilities company and an education provider.
Based on Malaysian news reports, past winners of EBA’s awards include three Malaysian public universities — namely Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia (UTeM) and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP).
USIM, UTeM and UniMAP received the “Best Regional University” award from EBA in 2013, according to a report by Utusan Malaysia on Dec 25, 2013.
Their vice-chancellors were reported in local Malaysian dailies to have won “Best Manager of The Year” in the same year as well.
One of the vice-chancellors was reported to have won “Best Scientist” separately from EBA’s “Oxford Summit of Leaders Science & Education”.
Another VC was reported to have won “The Name in Science” award, too.
EBA’s ‘International Socrates Award’
According to EBA’s website, the group is “an international corporation of social partnership” established in Oxford, UK, in 2000.
It lists developing and promoting social and economic links between companies, investors, education establishments, cities and countries worldwide as its main objectives.
The Times had reported that EBA advertises itself as an Oxford institution to sell “made-up prizes” such as “The International Socrates Award” and “The Queen Victoria Commemorative Award” for a price of up to £9,300 (RM52,000).
The report claimed the EBA outfit was run by Ukrainian businessmen, targeting areas where people had the financial power to buy such accolades.
A former employee told The Times that the outfit was told to focus on customers from the Middle East, eastern Europe and Russia “where the idea that money buys you credentials is still there”.
EBA was also revealed to have used images of Oxford colleges and even the same typefaces in its publicity materials.
It also claimed “exclusive” access to special lectures from Oxford, the report said.
However, the University of Oxford told the daily it has no relations with EBA.
“On the face of it, the guests gathered that evening did not have much to unite them.
Representatives from a Nigerian maritime security company rubbed shoulders with the vice-president of a Bulgarian mine.
“The founder of an international school in Malaysia mixed with the director of an Indian private medical institute,” The Times report read, in explaining the holding of an elaborate awards presentation ceremony.
Penang Island City Council and Seberang
Perai Municipal Council accused of having paid for awards from a
‘bogus’ organisation, which was exposed by a UK daily.
Dubious honours: (Above) Former Penang Island City Council mayor Patahiyah Ismail with the trophy and certificate for Best Municipal Manager awards in 2013 while her Seberang Prai counterpart Maimunah (pictured here with the Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and his aide Wong Hon Wai) received the same latter award in 2014
Penang local councils ‘fell for vanity awards scam’
GEORGE TOWN: Two European NGOs have exposed the European Business Assembly (EBA) which piled honours on Penang’s local councils as a vanity awards scam.
It is on a list of 10 organisations in Europe and China that hold elaborate ceremonies and create beautiful trophies to go with hundreds of awards.
“In many cases, those awards are bogus, sold by unscrupulous organisations that prey on human vanity,” the Center for Investigative Reporting of Serbia (CINS) and the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) researchers wrote in a 2014 report.
The report states that such organisations sent solicitation letters to companies and government agencies in the world, telling them that they had been nominated for various awards.
“Anyone who replies, shows interest and agrees to pay gets an award. Most of the letters contain the ceremony programme generally held in an attractive European capital, pictures of the trophies and information about costs,” the report added.
CINS was founded in 2007 by the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia to support investigative journalism.
OCCRP comprises investigative reporters throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The two local councils in Penang were left red-faced for getting EBA awards in 2013 and 2014.
The now retired Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Datuk Patahiyah Ismail was awarded the Best Municipal Manager while the council was given the Best Municipality Award in 2013.
A year later, Seberang Prai Municipal Council got the Best City award while its then president Datuk Maimunah Mohd Sharif won the Best Municipal Manager award.
On Monday, it was reported that EBA was generating millions of pounds by selling fake University of Oxford awards and certificates.
Pulau Betong assemblyman Datuk Muhammad Farid Saad said he found many articles online exposing EBA as a vanity awards organisation.
“Did they spend ratepayers’ money to get those honours? It’s like buying fake academic degrees,” he said in a statement.
Penang MCA secretary Tang Heap Seng said the state government should explain to the people whether it had purchased the awards to enhance its reputation.
In a statement, MBPP said it regretted that the awards were suspected of being false and had applied to the organiser to reaffirm the recognitions.
State Local Government Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said he hoped both councils would be more discerning and careful in future.
Source: The Star/ANN by Tan Sin Chow
Councils: We won EBA awards after paying entry fees
Mayor: I apologise if accolade not genuine
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/07/30/councils-we-won-eba-awards-after-paying-entry-fees-mayor-i-apologise-if-accolade-not-genuine/?jwsource=cl
https://youtu.be/MHDK2DuHsAI
GEORGE TOWN: Two councils in Penang have admitted that they won the awards given by the Europe Business Assembly (EBA) without any assessment after paying a total of 7,800 euros (RM39,088) in entry fees.
Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Datuk Maimunah Mohd Sharif said EBA did not send any auditor or judge to review the performances of the then Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) and Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP).
“We received letters via email from EBA that we were nominated for the awards. We then corresponded on the matter.
“EBA stated their judging criteria in the letters which they would be basing their assessment on.
“As far as I know, they did not come and talk to us but assessed us (themselves),” Maimunah told reporters yesterday, adding that theMPPP and MPSP had paid £4,400 (RM20,680) and £3,400 (RM18,408.10) for the entry fees.
Maimunah, who just returned from a conference in Manila, was commenting on the EBA controversy which was reported as a vanity awards scam.
It was reported that in 2014, the Centre for Investigative Reporting of Serbia and the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project researchers had exposed the EBA for giving out the awards.
“If it is true that the award is not genuine, then I apologise. I wish to stress that the local councils do not have any intention to spend taxpayers’ money to buy any award or recognition from any group,” said Maimunah.
She said at that time, both MPPP and MPSP had considered the awards as a prestigious recognition based on the assessment criteria, which included economic environment, educational infrastructure, public services and transport, recreation and entertainment.
“The entry fee is a package inclusive of the participation cost for the conference. Both of us (Patahiyah and herself) went alone and we flew economy class although we were both entitled to business class.
“We did check on the awards but we did not receive any information which would have raised suspicions.
“There are other Malaysian local authorities, agencies, universities and individuals who have received the EBA awards before us.
“As such, the councils were of the opinion that the awards ceremony were worth joining,” she said.
Both councils, she said, were still waiting for a reply from EBA to clarify the matter.
Source: The Star by Chong Kah Yuan
MPSP to participate in awards despite 'vanity awards' controversy
BUKIT MERTAJAM: The Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) will continue to participate in international awards despite the controversy on so-called 'vanity awards' received by the council from the Europe Business Assembly (EBA).
The council's newly appointed president Datuk Rozali Mohamud said they would continue to take part in international awards, but would heed the advice of state Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation exco Chow Kon Yeow to be more cautious.
"Up to this moment, we have decided to take part in the Wego (World e-Governments Organisation of Cities and Local Governments).
"The awards are held annually, and it is free. We do not have to pay any entry fee," he told reporters at a press conference.
On July 24, it was reported that the EBA was generating millions of pounds by selling fake University of Oxford awards and certificates.
Researchers from two NGOs wrote in a 2014 report that such organisations sent solicitation letters to companies and government agencies in the world, telling them that they had been nominated for various awards.
"Anyone who replies, shows interest and agrees to pay gets an award," the report stated.
The now retired Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Datuk Patahiyah Ismail was awarded the Best Municipal Manager award while the council was given the Best Municipality Award in 2013.
A year later, MPSP got the Best City award while its then president Datuk Maimunah Mohd Sharif won the Best Municipal Manager award. Maimunah is now MBPP mayor.
Developers acting like local councils a concern, says deputy minister
