KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 ― The Melaka government will reportedly apply a “chokehold’ on four local councils regarding implementing and granting of contracts to companies involved in projects requiring collection of money from the public.
The Star reported that the decision was made in the wake of residents reportedly torching a newly built parking booth in Taman Nirwana, Klebang Besar yesterday, furious over it’s privatisation on January 1.
Some community leaders, who refused to be named, told the daily that the contracts were awarded to concessionaires who had put in their bids for the 13 sites during the administration of the previous state government.
“Only the name of the companies have changed.
“The individuals are the same who had tendered to collect parking fees at the 13 sites in 2017,” one of the leaders was quoted saying.
The parking concessions at various commercial centres here were actually approved in 2017 but the contracts were only awarded in December last year.
Eight of the operators started collection on January 1, with five others ready to follow suit ― until the state government’s decision to immediately halt parking fee collection at all commercial hubs following the incident in Taman Nirwana.
In order to stop future unscrupulous practises, all future contracts will be vetted by Housing, Local Government and Environment committee chairman Datuk Tey Kok Kiew.
Tey has been tasked with screening all applicants even negligible ones, if it involves the interest of the grassroots.
“In a nutshell, each document should be viewed by me to enable the detection of ‘abnormal” development that need the immediate intervention of the state government,” Tey was quoted saying.
The new directive will be issued to the mayor of Melaka Historic City Council (MBMB), as well as the presidents of the Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council, the Alor Gajah Municipal Council (MPAG) and the Jasin Municipal Council (MPJ).
