Media Statement
Lift Gag Order on Penang Municipal Councillors
Aliran is concerned over reports that Penang municipal councillors have been issued a "gag order" barring them from talking on projects which had yet to be approved by the local authorities. It is understood that the directive dated 19 March was issued after a state exco meeting.
Such an order violates the public's right to know and participate in the decision-making process. It also raises question over why the authorities feel it necessary to be so secretive when deciding whether to approve projects. The public has a right to participate in the decision-making process and to know how these projects are going to affect the environment and their lives.
There have been many projects that were approved without the knowledge of citizens that were later found to be ill-conceived, wrongly located (thus causing traffic jams), and polluting.
Since the councillors are no longer allowed to consult and inform the public and since the public's views are not needed, do we really need a council? It is an insult to call it local government. So let's do away with the pretense and hypocrisy of having a local authority - call a spade a spade and change the council into another government department instead.
All that talk of transparency and accountability is just empty talk. If the government is really interested in these concepts, it should revive local council elections, so that municipal councillors will feel compelled to be answerable and accountable to the public rather than to their political masters.
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