(Petaling Jaya, Friday): What is the meaning of obtaining the status of a full city when the residents of the city do not even have the opportunity to know the account of the governing body safeguarding the environment and basic amenities of the place they live?

This is the irony of the Petaling Jaya city day celebration on this coming 20th June 2006. MPPJ City Day Celebration Budget Committee officer Ikhwan Salim Sujuk claimed that “PJ cannot claim to the world that it has become a city” with the reduction of the City Day celebration budget reduced from RM 7.5 million to RM 2.0 million.

Accountability and transparency are the two major elements towards good governance in any public administration.

One of Abdullah’s trade-mark slogans as Prime Minister in the past three years was for the eradication of the “First-World infrastructure, Third-World Mentality” Malaysian malaise, which he elevated into a major national mission in the Ninth Malaysia Plan by calling for a “first-class mentality” among Malaysians.

If Ikhwan’s view can be a representative view for majority of the officers running the offices of MPPJ, then it is a gross dismay that local government office bearers have to date failed to understand the real substance of celebrating a City Day is the enhancement of accountability and transparency.

MPPJ can actually become a role model for, not only local councils in Selangor, but also local councils nationwide, that by becoming a City, MPPJ itself is willing to provide greater accountability and transparency in any aspect of its administration, as well as providing greater consultation with the residents regarding to any local projects.

It's sad to note too that not much MPs or ADUNs in Petaling Jaya have come out openly to support the movement which seeks for greater transparency from MBPJ. Moreover, the movement is initiated by the residents who had granted them handsome victory during the last General Election. Their silence will inevitably lead PJ residents to believe that they are on MPBJ's side.

People representatives in PJ should be the leading force to advocate for good governance and transparency in local government. Being MPs and ADUNs for constituencies which are located under the management of MBPJ administration, BN ADUNs and MPs in PJ should explain their deafening inactions.