Explain appointment of 10 deputy exco members, say Johor PH reps

 The eight Johor PH assemblymen say all administrative decisions should be guided by the principles of necessity, effectiveness and accountability.

Johor menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi (centre) with the 10 new deputy executive councillors yesterday. (Bernama pic)

JOHOR BAHRU:

Johor Pakatan Harapan (PH) assemblymen have called on the state government to explain its decision to appoint 10 deputy state executive councillors.

In a joint statement, the eight Johor PH assemblymen said all administrative decisions should be guided by the principles of necessity, effectiveness and accountability, rather than political considerations.

They urged the state government to publicly explain the rationale for creating the posts, outline the roles and powers of the appointees, disclose the financial implications, and specify the key performance indicators that would be used to measure their effectiveness.

“The first issue is whether there is a genuine need for these 10 new posts. The state government has thus far operated under a clear administrative structure, supported by professional civil servants, implementing agencies and special officers overseeing their respective portfolios.

“If there are indeed capacity constraints that require an additional layer in the administrative structure, what empirical evidence supports such a claim?” they asked.

The statement was signed by Maszlee Malik (Puteri Wangsa), Felicia Poh (Penggaram), Andrew Chen (Stulang), Ng Yak Howe (Bentayan), Wong Bor Yang (Senai), Chu Poh Yee (Mengkibol), J Kartiyaini (Skudai) and Nazri Rahman (Simpang Jeram).

The assemblymen also raised concerns about possible overlaps in responsibilities, increased bureaucracy and overall financial implications – including allowances, administrative facilities, support staff and operating costs.

The lawmakers said if the appointments were intended to develop future leaders or ease the workload of existing officeholders, the objectives should be clearly explained and accompanied by appropriate accountability measures.

“As representatives of the people, our role is not merely to criticise, but to ensure government decisions are guided by good governance, safeguard public funds and deliver real value to Johor’s development.

“Johor needs a more efficient administration, not simply a larger one,” they said.

Johor menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi announced the appointments yesterday, saying they were intended to strengthen the state administration and improve public service delivery. - FMT