Engage wants civil society representative in local councils

JOHOR BARU: Engage has called on the state government to review its policy of not appointing civil society members to become councillors in the local councils.
Engage chairman Thomas Fann urged the state government to consider making at least four non-political appointments from among civil society members to each of the state's 14 local councils.
He was commenting on a recent statement by state exco Tan Hong Pin who said candidates would be picked from Pakatan Harapan (PH) components parties.
Fann said such a move would also be in keeping with Promise 25 of the PH manifesto where it promised that civil society would be given a platform to engage directly with the local government authorities.
Engage also called on the state government to make the budget of the local councils public.
"Open up the city halls for public hearing sessions and make the full board meeting of municipal councils accessible to the public," he said in a statement.
He said taxpayers who pay assessment rates to local councils should also have the right to know how the councils are utilising their tax revenues.