The Selayang council chief was only TELLING THE TRUTH, can BN not accept that?

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, and the Public Services Commission (“PSC”) must ensure that the Public Services Department (“PSD”) comply with the principle that civil servants must be politically impartial and dedicated to the implementation of policies and programmes of the elected government of the day which in respect of Selangor, is the Pakatan Rakyat.

Article 139(2) of the Federal Constitution confers jurisdiction on the Public Services Commission to include members of the public service of States such as Selangor. The Public Services Commission is under the Prime Minister’s department.

The only reasonable inference that can be drawn on the sudden 24 hour notice by PSD to transfer Datuk Zainal Abidin Aala as President of the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) to INTAN is that he has incurred the wrath of Barisan Nasional leaders in disclosing that the planning approval for the Dolomite Park Avenue Project next to the Batu Caves Temple was given on November 30, 2007 and MPS releasing the minutes of the full Board Meeting of November 29, 2007.

All he did was to be PROFESSIONAL

Datuk Zainal Abidin Aala was acting professionally in telling the truth. In doing so, lies were exposed and liars shamed. By disclosing the date of the approval, the arguments by Barisan Nasional to blame Pakatan Rakyat for the project were demolished.

In revealing the minutes of the November 29, 2007 full Board Meeting where three MIC councilors, Rajakupal Sinnathamby, Jayakumaran Govindasamy and Rajandran Muniandy and A. Kohilan Pillay of Gerakan (now Senator and Deputy Foreign Minister) together with 15 other councilors had endorsed the approval for the project, certain leaders of MIC and Gerakan were embarrassed.

The sudden transfer of Datuk Zainal Abidin Aala is the third incident whereby the PSD had appointed or transferred senior civil servants without prior consultation with the Selangor State Government. The PSD had, in October, transferred Petaling Jaya Mayor, Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman, without the agreement of the Selangor State Government. On 27 December 2010, the Chief Secretary of the Federal Government, Mohd Sidek Hassan, announced the appointment of Mohd Khusrin Munawi as Selangor State Secretary from 1 January 2011 without the knowledge and agreement of Selangor Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

Sudden transfer

The effect of PSD in suddenly transferring civil servants in Selangor who had carried out their duties professionally and efficiently is to deter civil servants from assisting the Pakatan Rakyat Government. It instills fear on Selangor civil servants implementing Pakatan Rakyat policies. It demoralizes and causes frustration to civil servants wishing to perform their functions without fear or favour. This has a negative impact not only on the State but also the Federal Government. I remind the Prime Minister that when civil servants fail to perform, it is the people that suffer.

I call on the Prime Minister and the PSC to take immediate action to remedy the situation otherwise these transfers serve to confirm that the much touted Government Transformation Programme to change the Government into “an efficient and rakyat-centred institution” is an empty slogan and make a mockery of the Prime Minister’s promises.

William Leong Jee Keen is the PKR treasurer-general & MP for Selayang