Perak waiting for RM12m Federal funds - The Star

IPOH: April 16, 2008 by Clara Chooi

The Perak Government has urged the Housing and Local Government Ministry to immediately channel the RM12mil allocation to kick-start eight approved infrastructure projects in the city.

State Education, Local government, Housing and Public Transport chairman Nga Kor Ming said the Ipoh City Council was still waiting for the funds from the Federal Government, although it was ready to begin the projects which are due to be completed this year.

“We understand that the delay was caused by the transition of power from Barisan Nasional to Pakatan Rakyat.

“We hope the Federal Government will expedite the matter and channel the funds immediately,” he told reporters after an inaugural briefing by the council here yesterday.

“I place high hopes on the Prime Minister’s word that Federal projects in the five Pakatan Rakyat-ruled states will continue as usual and that they will not be sidelined,” he said.

Among the projects are the replacement of the traffic controller for 12 traffic junctions (RM450,000), the construction of a bridge in the flood-prone Kampung Dato Ahmad Said Tambahan 2 (RM350,000) and another bridge at Taman Chempaka, Kampung Baru Ampang (RM1.45mil).

During the briefing earlier, Nga said that the council was working to improve its relationship with the 650,000 Ipoh residents by expediting the settlement of complaints.

“The council promises that all SMS complaints sent to its hotline will be dealt with within seven days,” he said.

The public, said Nga, could SMS their complaints to 36828, and the council's officers would reply within a week.

“The council will also give the complainant the contact number of the officer-in-charge of their case, so if no action is taken, they can contact the officer directly,” he said.

On the state government’s one-time waiver of notices of summonses and compounds for hawking and parking offences, Nga said, “Mentri Besar (Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin) has instructed State Secretary Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Hashim to send out notices on the waiver to all the local councils.