Baderul Amin wants to improve MBSP’s services. — Buletin Mutiara.
NEWLY appointed Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) mayor Datuk Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid wants to focus on the concept of “back to basics” involving three most important aspects of a local authority – cleanliness, enforcement and finances.
This approach is crucial for increasing productivity among MBSP staff, he said.
Speaking to Buletin Mutiara during an interview at the MBSP headquarters, the 58-year-old former MBSP secretary said given his engineering background, he liked solving problems by getting down to ground level.
“In MBSP, we call it ‘management by working around’. With this approach, I can better analyse a problem and find the best solution.
“I will continue this method even as the mayor,” Baderul Amin emphasised.
He took his oath of service before Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow at the MBSP headquarters in Bandar Perda, Bukit Mertajam.
He replaced former mayor Datuk Azhar Arshad who had been promoted to the post of Melaka state secretary.
Born on April 27, 1966, in Parit Buntar, Perak, Baderul Amin started his service as an engineer with MBSP (formerly known as Seberang Prai Municipal Council) in 1991.
He then rose to the position of chief engineer.
In April 2022, he was appointed as MBSP secretary until his appointment as mayor.
Dedicated to continuing the city council’s aim of providing excellent services to residents, Baderul Amin highlighted the need for improvements in cleanliness.
“I have implemented communal cleanups between MBSP departments in certain places on mainland Penang to reduce costs.
“Similar initiatives have been planned for Seberang Perai,” he said.
He has also implemented a system where every staff member or officer on the ground can report any arising issues within MBSP’s jurisdiction.
“They must provide the relevant department in the city council with basic information such as photographs and the exact location,” he said, adding that MBSP has nearly 5,000 staff members.
The system, he noted, was designed to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
It allows staff members from related departments to address problems without needing to go to the ground.
He has also organised a competition to reward staff who submit the most reports about various problems they observe in Seberang Perai.
These woes cover drainage and rubbish issues.
Acknowledging MBSP’s limited financial capability, Baderul Amin said the city council could not solely depend on assessment tax as its main revenue.
“We are aiming to increase MBSP’s finances by focusing more on non-tax revenue such as investment returns and income-generating programmes,” he said.
Baderul Amin is planning to prioritise small-scale projects that benefit the community and address traffic woes in Seberang Perai.
To attract foreign investment, he aims to reduce bureaucracy in factory construction.
Flood mitigation projects are important too, and the mayor admitted that more needed to be done in this area.
To improve security, he said the council would be installing a total of 800 closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) in Seberang Perai next year.
This is in addition to the existing 250 CCTVs within its jurisdiction.
He welcomes feedback and ideas from staff, local councillors and residents in the hopes of making Seberang Perai a better place.
