Piratisation Of Street Parking Leaves Mbpj Selangor Govt In A Bind

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Years of railroading local councillors into agreeing to issues, however contentious they were, have been passed down and viewed as precedents to be followed, like legal precedents.
Last month, the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) was caught in a tussle of sorts, although it was not of their own making. The Selangor government is trying to force a privatisation (which I had often described as “piratisation”) deal and wants the council to accept.
The council collects about RM18 million annually from street parking charges in the city.
Under a new arrangement, a third party would take over the administration of the collection, receiving RM5 million from MBPJ for “operational costs” and leaving the council with a meagre 40 percent, with another 10 percent allocated to the state government, and retaining the balance.
Not only that, MBPJ would not receive a sen from the compound fines collected for late and non-payment.
What sort of deal is this? The collection for parking is done electronically, and enforcement, including the issuance of parking tickets, is handled by the MBPJ.
So, the third party sits in an air-conditioned office, shaking their legs, and getting rewarded by sums running into millions.
Any such direction, if made, amounts to an abuse of power as the money rightly belongs to the people of Petaling Jaya and is to be used for their benefit, not a third party.
Yet another case of “lembu punya susu, sapi dapat nama?” (It’s the cow’s milk, but the bull gets the name.)
MPBJ is the first to be targeted. The same arrangements have been planned for Subang Jaya, Shah Alam, and Selayang.
‘Eating’ into councils’ revenue
Why is there a need for such arrangements? Why does the state government want to “eat” into the councils’ revenue, which is used to fund projects for the benefit of the residents?
The fear that these deals will be approved is real. Many councillors have already retreated into their cocoons, unwilling to speak about or even acknowledge their existence.
Messages to some of them seeking clarification or details of the proposal have gone unanswered, and it is understandable.
(Editor’s note: In addition to queries by the author, Malaysiakini has also contacted the Selangor government and the company reportedly involved for comment.)
Collaborating or taking a stand on issues, or speaking to the media, which goes against the state, is a no-no. They end up as “enemies of the state”. It could also end up that their current terms will be their last.
But hasn’t anyone the gall and gumption to ask: “If it ain’t broken, why fix it?”
Need for local council polls
One of the most important reasons Malaysians want an election at the local government level is to elect councillors who put the interests of the people first, rather than pandering to the needs of state governments, their administration, or political masters.
Stepping out of line or not acting on the wishes of their political superiors risks not being reappointed, as decisions are made at a higher level.
Often, they take on the mantle of civil servants, and like them, their credo becomes “Saya yang menurut perintah,” or “I follow orders.”
With years of BN administration and “internal systems” in place, the demand for transparency and accountability is often summarily dismissed and rejected by the chorus of political appointees masquerading as representatives of the people.
In a conversation many years ago, one council president noted of the councillors: “The Umno councillors are here to identify the contracts they can get from the council. And the MCA reps are here to ‘pau’ (undertake) those contracts for a fee.”
“What about the MIC reps?” I had asked.
“They are oblivious to such dealings, as all negotiations are done behind their backs. They do not know what had happened.”
Some councils, to stifle discussion and opposition, hold pre-council meetings with a select few, and all other members are required to endorse the decisions made. Among their duties is to raise their hands and say “setuju” (agree) in unison.
No change in system
When the BN state government fell in four states in 2008, one would have expected significant changes; however, nothing materialised.
A handful of members from civic societies were appointed as councillors, but they were just for show - mere window dressing to tell the world that “councils are inclusive”.
However, their voices of reason were often outnumbered by those of the political appointees with vested interests.
But the system hardly changed in tandem with the new government’s promised mantra of accountability and transparency. “We are just following precedents,” was the readily available answer.
Breaking with ‘tradition’
However, there have been rare occasions when certain councillors have collaborated to thwart moves or developments that are detrimental to the community.
In May 2023, 19 out of 24 MBPJ councillors walked out of a full-board meeting following heated arguments over a disagreement surrounding procedures involved in the approval of a development project in Lorong Sultan.
The 19 councillors disagreed with the then-mayor Azhan Amir’s statement that they were not decision-makers in the one-stop centre. He claimed that they were only there to provide input on social and political aspects.
This, in a nutshell, is how councillors are treated - their views are ignored, ridiculed, and dismissed, with chest-thumping claims that the government knows best.
As an immediate response, I wrote about Azhan: “If he had his way, there would be no necessity to comply with laws, and the statute books could be thrown out of the window.
“If he had his way, there would be no need to consult the councillors on any decision-making because he believes he is empowered to make unilateral decisions.” - Mkini
R NADESWARAN is a veteran journalist who strives to uphold the ethos of civil rights leader John Lewis: “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.” Comments: [email protected]
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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