Decentralise local councils

By R Nadeswaran, The Sun

ALTHOUGH London has an elected mayor, he does not have much power or say on how it is run. Power has been decentralised to each of London’s 33 boroughs which are each managed by an elected local council that is responsible for administering the borough, delivering public services.

It is wrong to assume that his role is merely symbolic but as the city’s head, he makes the Greater London Authority (GLA) work closely with the boroughs to deliver his long-term strategy for London, ensuring that the big picture of the capital is taken into account at the local level.

The GLA works closely with the boroughs on everything from funding improvements in public spaces to developing public transport infrastructure, dealing with London’s waste and crime fighting initiatives.

Today’s column is not a brief history or a short guide on London but to ask if the time has come for some of the bigger local councils in Malaysia to be managed in the same manner.

Administratively, many of our councils are in shambles. Their finances are not well-managed and the service to the ratepayer can only be described as mediocre or at the best, satisfactory. Shouldn’t some of them be broken up into two or more to give some degree of autonomy and in the process, have some form of competition as to who provides a better delivery system?

Take Petaling Jaya for example. It was set up as sanitary board when there was only “Old Town” under its jurisdiction. With it becoming a satellite town for Kuala Lumpur, it emerged as a municipal council with development. With disused mining areas near Sungai Way and the surrounding areas being developed, it had a larger area under its purview until a new council – the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) was set up.

Today, Petaling Jaya City Council’s jurisdiction spreads as far as Kota Damansara, which was once nothing but estates and jungle.

Today, with a land area so huge and a rapidly growing population, wouldn’t it be prudent to break it up and have smaller municipalities to look after its residents? Wouldn’t smaller municipalities mean easier management with their own cost centres and own KPIs.

With development and urban migration, not all sections of the population are being served or serviced proportionately. One infamous argument was that since people in Subang Jaya pay more in rates than the people in Serdang, the former should get priority in MPSJ’s budget.

While that may seem logical, many feel they are being short-changed in terms of service because the rates are based on value of the property. Does it mean those who live in million-ringgit houses should be treated differently from those who stay in low-cost flats?

If this was the case, shouldn’t Serdang have its own cost centre and be administered with the funds from its own residents? If there should be a shortfall, shouldn’t the residents be asked to pay a higher rate instead of being subsidised by a wealthier neighbourhood.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall has been besieged with problems from the day it was set up. Despite being only 94 sq miles and having 12 parliamentary constituencies, the power is vested in its headquarters. It has branch offices but its budget and staff are controlled by its headquarters with no autonomy whatsoever.

While the mayor can be its head, having smaller councils will enable easier implementation of policies for the betterment of the people.

No advantages of decentralising can be greater than smaller ones forced to operate on smaller budgets and hence slashing funds for all the parties, the lawatan sambil belajarand expensive ceremonial dresses. A smaller budget will also mean prudent spending of people’s money, a tighter control of expenditure and above all, one council attempting one-upmanship over the other in terms of good governance.

Not that it has not been done before – both Johor Baru and Kuching have two councils each. So, why can’t other councils, which are bigger in area and have larger populations, be similarly broken up?

But before we can venture into that, has anyone considered local council elections where the people are given the power to throw out those who had been warming their seats as councillors?