A FORMER Kuala Lumpur mayor has proposed that the government come out with a White Paper to examine the issue of live streaming One-Stop-Centre (OSC) meetings and allowing elected representatives to attend.
Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan, who served from Oct 2, 2018 to Sept 30, 2020, believed that a White Paper would provide an ideal opportunity for the government to thoroughly analyse the subject matter.
“In my personal opinion as a former district officer for Gombak and Hulu Selangor, and for improved transparency in the way the local government operates, I would suggest submitting a White Paper to study the matter further.
Nor Hisham stresses the importance of being honest and transparent particularly in relation to sale and alienation of government land.
“Perhaps if we had done this sooner, we could have prevented many DBKL land from being sold to developers,’’ he added.
A White Paper is an official document that examines issues pertaining to a specific subject, accompanied by proposed solutions, before its submission.
Nor Hisham was responding to a question on the need for better governance and transparency in government agency meetings like OSC meetings that are conducted behind closed doors.
He stressed the importance of being honest and transparent particularly in relation to the sale and alienation of government land.
He emphasised the need for foresight in decision-making, with a focus on the next 50 years.
“Kuala Lumpur currently faces a land scarcity issue and we need to stop developing for the sake of developing and start thinking of more sustainable solutions.’’
Nor Hisham urged decisionmakers against pursuing land deals by developing and alienating land near ponds, lakes, IWK ponds, football fields or green spaces.
“The goal here is to think about the future and the next generation, we need to leave behind a legacy that we can be proud of,’’ he added.
Nor Hisham described DBKL OSC meetings as being highly technical, sometimes chaired by the planning executive director, adding that some special OSC meetings are chaired by the mayor.
During these special OSC meetings, issues concerning planning approval, plot ratios, density, and land sales are discussed.
He added that if the mayor disagreed with a certain plot ratio point during a special OSC meeting, the minister (previously the FT minister) can override the decision.
He revealed that there were instances when the minister’s decision superseded the mayor’s, despite the fact that only the latter had the authority to sign off on such matters.
When asked if he had experienced such a situation, Nor Hisham merely responded: “Let’s just say that if the mayor doesn’t sign ... there will be gaduh besar (a big fight).”
Another former mayor, who wished to remain anonymous, said during his tenure, he had deliberately delayed signing off on documents related to development orders and land sales, as he believed it was not above board.
“I would let those documents sit on my table for months and months ... just to avoid signing them.”
He also revealed that DBKL officers, who expressed dissent, often faced consequences such as being sidelined, transferred, or denied promotions, while those who complied with the established order were promoted. This, he said, was the norm within the civil service.
