SHAH ALAM, April 22 — Kajang assemblyman David Cheong Kian Young has called for a major overhaul of Selangor’s local authority ratings system, saying the current five-star scoring doesn’t reflect councils’ actual performance.
He also urged the state government to reassess the criteria, methodology and monitoring mechanisms used to evaluate local authorities.
“When we look at the quality of service in the field, people feel as if there is no functioning local government.
“There are drains clogged with rubbish in Sungai Long and Bandar Mahkota Cheras that have not been cleared for a long time. We are not talking one or two days, not even one or two months, but five or six years.
“After cleanup, the waste is simply left by the road. What SOP allows this? When it rains, the waste just goes back into the drains,” he said when debating the Royal address at the Selangor State Legislative Assembly sitting here today.
Cheong added that debris from cleanups or repairs is often left in piles under highways.
“What is happening is very disappointing. The issues I am raising here are only the tip of the iceberg.”
He said the five-star rating system must be reviewed to ensure it is relevant, transparent, and centres public interest, rather than reliant on documentation, which can be manipulated.
“I was informed that there are directors who are not giving sufficient cooperation. This is very disappointing. We cannot allow such poor performance to undermine the administrative system.
“Public officers at all levels must be aligned with the leadership, and serve with full commitment and integrity. Do not let the actions of a few tarnish the state administration’s overall image.”
He also pointed out weaknesses in supervision and verification processes, saying enforcement agencies must conduct site visits to ensure compliance before approving payments or returning deposits.
He proposed making public feedback and integrity audits the main bases of council ratings, and suggested incentives for public complaints and whistleblower protection in the civil service.
Cheong added that performance evaluations and promotions of public officials should be tied to actual outcomes instead of paperwork-based reporting.
