Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Local Council cannot even sent a reply to a letter? Wasting time to bring to notice possible wrongdoings?

I lodged a complaint with the Majlis Perbandaran Temerloh - I sent them a 4-page letter by post on 2/8/2014.

I am still waiting for a reply from the Town Council - The lack of a reply is really unacceptable.

4/8/2014 - Send an email to the Town Council - attaching also the letter dated 2/8/2014.

4/8/2014 - A prompt reply from the Town Council acknowledging receipt...

ENCIK/CIK/TUAN/PUAN! TERIMA KASIH DIATAS ADUAN ANDA. TINDAKAN SEWAJARNYA AKAN DIAMBIL.HARAP MAKLUM DAN TERIMA KASIH. DARI UNIT ADUAN MP
Received phone calls - one of which informed me that the matter will also be referred to the District Office since one of the complaints was concerning possible encroachment into land designated as road reserve. I also later called the officer at the District Office whose number was given to me.

Then there was no news for some time....no letter of reply.

12/8/2014 - I send another email asking for a reply to my letter - also the actions taken.

13/8/2014 - Received an email in reply 
Tuan, mohon diberikan no HP tuan untuk maklumbalas aduan tuan kelak. Terima kasih.
Rather odd, since they had called me before this on my handphone - anyway, I gave it to them again 

19/8/2014 - Send another email - telling them that there was a tractor digging up the 'road reserve' and I saw a truck carting away the soil - this was most strange because normally roads are always higher than the surrounding land. I suspected land theft.

[Oh yes, I called the police as well - and a patrol car arrived - the tractor was still there, and so was the lorry - but the policemen who came was not interested in getting 'evidence' - photographs of the 'suspects', their names and details, etc. They had a cigarette and the person with the tractor just told them his boss told him to do this - and the police seemed alright with that. I said that they were there witnessing the possible crime, and they should do more. They were not happy and said that if I wanted anything to be done, I should go and make a police report - I said that since the police was already there, they should make the report - and should at the very least take the details of the alleged perpetrators, the vehicles used, etc - they were not bothered - happy that they had done their duty by coming to respond to a call I made to the emergency number...]

19/8/2014 - Again the Local Council responded to my email 

Tuan, aduan tuan telah direkodkan dan tindakan sewajarnya diambil.

Tuan, mohon disertakan no telefon HP Tuan untuk maklumbalas aduan tuan kelak.Kerjasama tuan amat dihargai.
20/8/2014 - I responded with yet another email providing my handphone number and making aditional points and concerns {No response from the Town Council to this email)

2/9/2014 - Another email to the Local Council -  I was getting frustrated at the apparent 'tidak apa' attitude and inaction. I wanted to know what was being done to the various different concerns/complaints...

12/9/2014 - Another email - now the Developer was building a 'fence' a few inches from the tarred kampung road...a dangerous move, since the road is narrow and one car has to stop by the side to allow another coming from the opposite direction to pass. Further, many people walk along the road - but when the fence is so close to the road, people will have to walk on the road. 

8/10/2014 - Another email - I was losing faith and confidence with the Local Council.

21/10/2014 - Another email to remind them that I was still waiting for their letter....

6/11/2014 - Another email asking for their response - and raising more concerns about what was happening.(Also made an additional complaint)

Giving up on the Local Council - what is the use of lodging complaints or bringing their attention to wrongs - They seem to be not bothered - and the Developer continues with the project.

If the Local Council reacted fast, that all wrongs could be easily remedied - because building had not commenced - but now houses are up. Maybe laws may be broken - but now all that they may do is maybe fine... a small fine.

What are some of my concern?

1- People have a right to object to proposed development - previously there was a Notice Board that asked people to send their objections, concerns, comments to the Local Council by a certain date - whereby all these are considered BEFORE approval is given for a project. If needed, there was also the right to be heard - whereby one will be called to the Local Council who will hear your concerns. [Then, they took away this practice - but still there is an obligation for the Local Council to send notices to owners of lands adjacent to the land where the project happens.. my parents land was in such a position, but we never received a Notice... surely the fact that there was the kampung road between the project site and the land was not a reason to deny us the right to object] >> These laws that provide for these rights should really all be made available on the Local Council Websites - people have a right to know their rights in law. I believe such laws and regulation are also not available in bookstores... keep us all in the dark - and rights can easily be violated without people knowing about it.

2 - The kampung road. we got from the State government, after much struggle - it was a good road, and beside it the land was 'road reserve' - hence, I believe, it just cannot be 'given' to the developer..

There were other issues...but the main point is the way the Local Council failed to even respond formally...

Eralier, there was email replies - but later...total silence..

This kind of behavior by the authorities is unacceptable - authorities should respond in writing to queries and complaints. People bring to the attention of the authorities possible breaches of law, or even crimes - but authorities do not even provide a proper letter in response giving answers - telling people what has been done..or the results of the investigations...

So, better just not complain - is that what our Local Government wants? Is that what our government wants?

If we had Local Council elections - I am sure the Local Council would have been more responsive to public concerns, complaints, etc ... Now, they do not depend on us people of Temerloh...

I hope for improvement - I believe all of us in Temerloh hope for the same.
 







 

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