KUCHING, March 18: The decision to limit the terms of mayors, council chairmen, walikota and their deputies to nine years was made by Cabinet and was not made lightly, says Datuk Penguang Manggil.
Penguang, who is Deputy Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government said the decision also applies to chairmen and board members for statutory bodies and government-linked companies (GLCs) except for those appointments which are made based on statutory requirements such as the ordinances of the respective bodies.
“It was not made at the whims and fancy of the Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government as alleged by Datuk Prof Jayum Jawan of University Putra Malaysia,” he said when contacted today.
As reported by a local daily today, Jayum said limiting the terms of mayors, council chairmen, walikota and their deputies to nine years should be applicable to assemblymen and MPs based on thorough process, specific criteria and should not be made at the whims and fancy of the incumbent minister.
Penguang added that Sarawak has its own Local Authorities Ordinance as well as by-laws, rules or regulations, and was not bound by the Local Authority Act which is enforced in Peninsular Malaysia.
“In Sarawak, the 26 existing Local Authorities are governed by our very own LAO and covers every inch of our land.
“The provisions our Ordinance are also different from that of the Local Authority Acts,” he added.
On March 16, Penguang said mayors, council chairmen, walikota and their deputies who have served for more than nine years will automatically be replaced by new faces. — DayakDaily
