CM ticks off council
THE state government has warned the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) that it will not tolerate a repeat of the communication slip-up which resulted in beaches along the Batu Ferringhi tourism belt not being cleaned up during the recent festive break.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state government would take stern action against the Penang and Seberang Prai municipal councils if they were not performing up to par.
Unsightly: Rubbish seen on part of the Batu Ferringghi beach on Saturday.
“We don’t want a repeat of communication slip-up because it is very embarrassing for the state and the people. We want a professional council,” he said.
He said the council and state would have to work hard to bring about a positive change for the people.
“If the rakyat do not feel a difference in their quality of life, then we have failed,” he said.
He urged the various council departments to work closely as a communication breakdown would result in a drop in performance.
He said the “silo mentality” must be avoided.
“The silo mentality is where each department is only concerned with itself instead of the whole organisation. We need to know what’s going on with each other and work as a team to smoothen operations,” he said.
He was speaking during a meeting with the MPPP’s head of departments in Komtar yesterday.
State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow, who was also present, said the state was still investigating why the communication slip-up occurred.
“Initial findings show that the documents (to extend the beach cleaner’s contract) were prepared but not signed,” he said, adding that a full report would be released later.
The Star – January 8, 2010
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/1/8/north/5431942&sec=North
Daftarlah Sebagai Rakan DAP! 
http://greenstate.penang.gov.my
