SENIOR civil servants who work on the golf course during office hours have been told by Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming that their days of truancy are over.

Nga said he had been informed that senior officers in the Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional administrations were on the green when they should be in the office working.

Speaking to journalists on a slew of issues involving the civil service in a Chinese New Year interview, Nga warned these officers that if they are caught playing truant on his watch, they will face “immediate disciplinary action”.

“There will be no compromise,” he said.

He said because of the reported truancy, he will pay extra attention to indiscipline.

“Their subordinates didn’t even know where the officers went during office hours.”

The officers would give the excuse that they have been summoned by “someone from above”, Nga said.

“My style is, I will only give one warning. It’s up to them whether they want to listen. If anything happens after that, they will have to bear the consequences.”

No sudden fee hikes

On assessment rates, fees or taxes by the local councils, Nga said he had advised them to hold off any hikes where possible. If hikes were necessary, they must do it in small increments.

He pointed to what the Manjung City Council did on January 1 as an example of a policy that burdened the people.

The council raised the dog licence from RM10 to RM150.

“If the dog licence fee had been increased from RM10 to RM15, I would accept that because it is reasonable. They must be reasonable.

“We do understand that some local governments are at the end of their tether and need to be bailed out by the central or state government.

“This is especially true in the poorer and more backward states. But it is our policy that any increment in assessments or fees must not be a burden to the people. They must be people-friendly.”

Nga said the local councils must find ways to reduce the burden on the people.

Cleaner toilets

He said street lights would be fitted with LED or solar powered lights in phases at the cost of RM900 million.

“It is important for the lights to be bright so the streets are safe,” he said. “Bright lights not only make it easier for people to drive safely at night, it also helps to reduce crime.

Nga said when Pakatan Harapan came into power in Perak after the 2018 general election, “we changed 3,000 LED lights in Ipoh and Taiping”.

Police statistics showed theft and break-ins were significantly reduced after that, he said.

On dirty restaurant toilets, Nga said he is studying the legal implications of freezing the renewal of the outlets’ licence if they do not meet the standards.

At the same time, he said his ministry is mulling a policy to require restaurants in the urban councils’ jurisdiction to have class A sanitary toilets.

He said such a rule would encourage restaurant owners to be more concerned about cleanliness and hygiene.

“The Ministry of Local Government Development will hold further discussions on the policy before making an announcement at the appropriate time.” – January 26, 2023.