Cutting costs

Negri MB Mohd Hasan cuts costs
By SARBAN SINGH
SEREMBAN: No more buying official cars cheap and no more allowances for elected representatives for the upkeep of service centres.
These are among the cost-cutting measures to be implemented by Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

»If we were to buy new Perdanas, it would cost us more than RM1mil. The money should instead be given to the needy« DATUK SERI MOHAMAD HASAN
“Previously, we used to give them the cars for a nominal sum, like RM5,000, when they retired or were dropped. This, we feel, is no longer inappropriate,” he said after chairing the state exco meeting at Wisma Negri here yesterday.
Mohamad expressed the hope that the former committee chairmen would not be disheartened by the move.
“I hope they understand because we will save a lot of money by not having to buy new cars,” he said.
Nine of 10 committee chairmen from the previous administration either did not contest in the March 8 general election or were dropped.
Only Senaling assemblyman Datuk Ismail Lasim was retained.
Asked how long the current fleet of Proton Perdanas would be used, Mohamad said the cars would be changed when the need arose.
“The present fleet is only four years old. If we were to buy 10 new Perdanas, it would cost us more than RM1mil. The money should instead be given to the needy,” he said.
Mohamad said all 36 assemblymen would also no longer be given the RM1,500 monthly allowance to run their service centres.
He said that since the assemblymen had volunteered to serve the rakyat, they should be able to pay for these centres from their other allowances.
“We will be able to save RM648,000 by doing this. The other allowances will remain unchanged,” he said.
Mohamad also expressed unhappiness with some assemblymen who did not open service centres but pocketed the money for their personal use.
He said that when he became Mentri Besar in 2004, he raised the allowance from RM700 to RM1,500 so that the assemblymen could use the money to serve the people better.
“But some chose not to do so. I hope they will still run their service centres with the remuneration they receive as wakil rakyat,” he said.
Mohamad said the exco, at yesterday’s meeting, also decided that an officer from the Welfare Department must be appointed in every state constituency.
He said this was necessary as the poor were not getting financial aid although the Government had allocated plenty of funds for the purpose.
Mohamad said there was an urgent need to overhaul the state administration at the lower level to ensure the people benefited.
Citing an example, he said one penghulu should serve 20 village health, security and safety committees.
“When this is done, the penghulu will be able to raise issues with the district officer or his assistant. We cannot expect the district officer to go to every village as he has many other duties,” he said.
Mohamad said that for the first time, local councillors would also be required to look after constituencies under the Opposition.
“Since we now have 20 councillors, we want at least one or two to be made in charge of every constituency. We must show the rakyat that their welfare is looked after,” he added.