KL mayor unveils a budget for the people

RESIDENTS of Kuala Lumpur have themselves to thank for the people-friendly budget announced by Kuala Lumpur City Hall. The 2010 budget was prepared based on opinions garnered from various residents’ representatives and NGOs.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail added that the budget was also aimed at cutting costs for the DBKL (see accompanying story), with several reductions in administrative allocations.

The surplus budget sees an increase of 2% from last year and about two-thirds of the money will be provided by the Federal Goverment.

About half of the RM2,1bil surplus budget will be allocated for operations costs (RM1.102bil) that include cleanliness and beautification as well as upgrading various public amenities.

A further RM1.07bil has been allocated for development costs and will focus on on-going projects, including those under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), the Economic Stimulus Package and the Special Flood Mitigation Project.

There is also some good news for property owners as the assessment rates have not been hiked although DBKL has made plans to review the rates that have remained unchanged for the past 15 years.

Assessments are still DBKL’s biggest revenue earners, contributing RM755.08mil to its coffers. Other revenues include building and planning permission payments (RM116mil), rentals (RM65.1mil) and licensing and permits (RM47.96mil).

The DBKL also expects to receive RM451.3mil from the its assets, including the sale of DBKL flats.

The Federal allocation will be channeled into 9MP projects (RM245.84mil), Flood Mitigation (RM71.34mil), the Economic Stimulus Package 2 (RM133.53mil) and Special Housing Allocations (RM236.97mil).

For 2010, DBKL will also be receiving road and ITIS maintenance grants (RM68mil) from the Federal Government, which will also be allocating RM10mil for the management of properties not owned by DBKL like Istana Negara and government-owned vacant land.

There is also a strong focus on ICT, with RM26.58mil planned for developing DBKL’s IT system to provide a better e-Licensing system and to develop its Digital Library.

A total of RM239.37mil has also been allocated under the housing fund to sustain 48 projects. This includes allocations for consultants for the public house projects at Kg Wira Jaya, Kg Pandan Indian Settlement, Sg Udang and Kg Semerah Padi.

However, Ahmad Fuad was disappointed with the negativity of the Kuala Lumpur Opposition MPs who had met with him on Friday to discuss the budget.

He said they should be thankful that a large sum of money had been allocated to Kuala Lumpur.

“The Budget is based on our capabilities and our ability to fulfil commitments from previous years. Isn’t it a good thing we have a bigger budget?

“They should be happy and not compare it to Selangor’s budget. Otherwise, we can lower the budget next year to meet their requests,” he said in reply to an article published on Saturday.

The mayor also said that the budget was only a guide to expenditure next year.

“We do not have to follow it completely but it helps us plan our finances and work in a systematic manner,” he said.

Ahmad Fuad also stressed that DBKL’s main target was to provide better service to the people.

He added that this was the reason City Hall would launch a call centre using a system adapted from that used by the Public Complaints Bureau.

He explained that the pilot project was part of efforts to build an effective communications system where complaints could be handled systematically.

“There will be five officers at the call centre and they will channel all complaints to the relevant departments.

“They will handle the situation and get back to the complainant within three days.” Ahmad Fuad said, adding that 20 officers would be appointed to the call centre.

By The Star (by JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ)