Role of a State Legislator

Compiled by Joey

Your State Assembly Representative, or Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN), represents you in the State Assembly. They are your main link to the decision makers of the country.

A State Assemblyman and a Member of Parliament play similar roles as law makers or legislators. The former makes state laws, while the latter makes federal laws — both in accordance with the Federal Constitution.

For example, the state can pass laws on matters relating to land, agriculture, forestry, local government, riverine fishing and Muslim law, among others. It shares jurisdiction with the federal government on matters relating to social welfare, scholarships, protection of wildlife and town and country planning. State legislation does not cover areas such as internal security, defence, civil and criminal law, citizenship, finance, communications, health, labour and commerce and shipping industry.

As laid out by Dr Azmi Sharom, associate professor of Universiti Malaya (http://getanmp.blogspot.com/2008/02/mps-role-jaga-longkang-settle-saman.html), your ADUN's primary duty is to debate and vote on the proposed laws (known as Bills) to ensure that the best possible laws are made. Therefore, they should be well-informed about the Bills they are discussing to be able to debate intelligently.

Your ADUN also helps to check and critique the way government policy is made and implemented and to hold the Executive accountable and help prevent abuse of power.

Your ADUN may also raise issues that are of concern to their constituency, which may be discussed and even legislated. If you would like to raise an issue or a concern to YB Edward Lee, you can contact him at edwardlee.pj[at]gmail.com.

More on state legislative assemblies

There are 13 State Legislative Assemblies (Dewan Undangan Negeri or DUN) in Malaysia, corresponding with the 13 states. Each DUN comprises the head of state, a Speaker and elected representatives. State representatives are chosen via state elections, usually held simultaneously with federal elections.

In Selangor, for example, there are 56 ADUNs. A state assembly member's term is limited to five years. The state assembly must be dissolved before or upon expiration of its term for a fresh election to elect its members.

Local government councillors

For the time being, your state government also appoints local government councilors who make up the Local Authority, namely local municipal councils. Your councillors assist in the management and decision-making processes of the Local Authority by making by-laws and sitting on committees.

The Local Authority is in charge of the management of districts, towns and cities, specifically in the areas of: local environmental matters, licensing of activities, public health, cleanliness of public areas, public amenities, social services and land use planning.

If you have a problem with any of the above issues, you may contact MBPJ at their hotline 03-7954 2020 or your Bukit Gasing Councilors (http://edwardleepj.blogspot.com/2008/09/bukit-gasing-councillors.html).

.:Section 17 water cuts:.

By Joey
Friday 30 Sept 2008

Residents in section 17, PJ, have been fuming over frequent water cuts. According to Syabas, this is to facilitate repair works on burst pipes or "paip bocor". (On one of his visits to the affected area, Edward personally saw a burst pipe along Jalan University.)

Edward will be calling for a meeting between affected residents and Syabas to probe further into this matter and to find a remedy for this recurring problem. The proposed meeting will be held in section 17, sometime in October. Details will be confirmed in due time.

Residents of section 17 facing similar problems are welcome to attend.

If you require immediate assistance, you may call Syabas' customer service directly on its toll-free line: 1800-88 5252.

.:Rice distribution:.

By Charlotte
Friday 19 Sept 2008

As part of the 100-day PR Selangor Government celebration, each constituency within Selangor was given 700 bags of 5kg rice, 700 packets of sugar, and 700 tins of condensed milk.

These provisions were distributed to charitable homes and organisations, single mothers, and families and individuals in need.

Areas where Bukit Gasing provisions were distributed:
Bukit Gasing, Lembah Subang, PJS 2, Kampung Kayu Ara.

Pictures below were taken at PJS 2

Manifesto

PUBLIC DECLARATION OF POLICY / MANIFESTO OF DAP CANDIDATE FOR BUKIT GASING STATE CONSTITUENCY – LEE POH LIN, EDWARD

1. Crime and the police

To ensure that the police force in PJ is increased, the candidate will:

• Encourage more and better qualified local youths from all races to enlist as police officers and assist interested police candidates through the entire recruitment process.
• Campaign for an increase in allowance (high-risk occupation) for the police force to enable them to perform their duties without having to resort to corrupt practices. This hopefully increases the pride and dignity of the police force.

2. Good governance, transparency and accountability
To ensure that proper relief is provided to lower income groups, wastage must be stopped at all levels of governance. The candidate will:

• Implement clear licensing guidelines and policies. A comprehensice policy on licensing allows the public to immediately check on the process and helps prevent corruption.
• Ensure that MBPJ solicits greater public participation by keeping the public informed and hold consultations with the public before and policy is implemented by the government, especially on town-planning issues, eg building development and re-zoning of land use.
• Abolish the need for secrecy involving government accounts and minutes of all local government meetings. Making these documents public discourages and prevents corruption, and provides a more efficient and accountable government service.
• Advocate the need for local government elections to ensure that local governments are headed by capable leaders.

3. Service centre for the people
The candidate will work hard at raising funds to set up a service centre manned by full-time workers within the Bukit Gasing constituency to provide assistance to the public. This service centre will hopefully be set up regardless of the election outcome.


The following are federal and state level concerns the candidate hopes to continuously highlight through his work:

1. Correcting the position of the civil service
The BN Government has managed the government machinery which includes all government departments as if it were part of the BN party machinery. The candidate will highlight these excesses and inform government servants the clear definition and delineation of their independence from party politics and politicians. This will prevent government servants from being made subservient and pander to the whims and fancies of the political parties in power. What is more important is the need to restore and enhance the dignity and reputation of the civil service, including the judiciary.

2. High cost of health services
The candidate will lobby with his counterparts in Parliament to register the plight of patients hit by spiralling high costs of medical and health care. The candidate will actively fight for fair and affordable health and medical care.

3. Flawed laws
Several existing laws at federal and state levels are flawed and allows for manipulation and abuse. The candidate will table private member bills for Selangor to have freedom of information enactment and local election enactment, two critical issues that affect the wellbeing of residents.

4. Minority group interests
The candidate will help identify and find solutions to minority group issues and endeavour to bring them to the attention of the authorities.

.:Barisan Rakyat:.

Comprehensive result here.

8 March 2008
6amI woke up thinking that unc Ed might just win the Bukit Gasing seat.

Was slightly doubtful as we only had three ceramahs and the committee members were all first timers (except John Chung - 2004 candidate for Bukit Gasing).
6.45amWith two hours of sleep, I trudged on to my school, Sri Damai.

Was quite flustered when I arrived as I had to check voters' details as well as hand out PAs' kits.

Good thing I had some back up when PKR's supporters came and helped to check voters' details as I tabulated discrepancies from my PAs.
5pmAs I was waiting for results for Damai school, my stomach was doing the flip flops. It was as though I was about to write a major examination paper.

As results trickled in for Damai, I got more and more amazed and thought, "Okay, looks like we can win."

11.30pm
Final count was in and we won by 9000 votes!Nine thousand..!
A big thank you to all those who contributed your time, energy and money to the campaign, and also to those who had come by to read this blog and casted your vote for Ed.

I personally have been very encouraged and blessed by this whole experience, not to mention extremely tired too.

A note from Ed will be post up soon.
He's still busy answering calls and responding to smses.
Barisan Rakyat.
It begins.

:Charlotte:

.:April 2008:.

Click image to enlarge.

.:Calendar:.

Meetings and functions Ed had attended in the past month(s).

.:April 2008:.

.:Archives:.

2008 election campaign
.:Barisan Rakyat : it begins:.
.:Manifesto:.
.:Manifesto : leaflet:.
.:Ed's profile : leaflet:. (doesnt seem to be there anymore - will have to check)
.:Service centre:.

News
.:The Star : 12 March 2008:.
.:The Star : 9 May 2008:.

Write-ups on Ed
.:Get an MP:.
.:The People's Parliament:.
.:James Ooi:.
.:Journeyman:.
.:Polytikus:.
.:Raw Petai : part 1:.
.:Raw Petai : part 2:.
.:The Sun:.
.:Tit Thoughts:.
.:Whatalulu:.
.:Zorro:.

.:25 April 08:.

Hello readers,

It's Charlotte here.
Will try to give a brief account of what Ed has been up to of late.
Don't have his diary with me so I'll try to recall from what Simon has told me and also from what I've attended together with them.

*

Met with individuals in MBPJ quite many times to sort out issues as well as to discuss best ways to iron out other issues. This will be an ongoing occurence.

Met several consituents and hawkers who encountered issues regarding flooding, poor drainage, house's exterior wall collapsing due to external works, house's interior walls cracking due to constrution of a high-rise building (if I'm not mistaken).

Met with some reps from CSI-Parliament as well as other MPs to discuss important legislation that should be put forward.

Met with Haniza (PKR) to discuss how to best revamp the market in Old Town. (It's under Taman Medan constituency.) At the same time also brought a husband and wife couple to Haniza's service centre. They have issues regarding their house in Taman Medan which they bought through a bank lelong.

Attended four Hindu temple ceremonies.

Attended KL High Court's hearing about the development on Bukit Gasing.

Ed has also been sworn in on Tuesday 22 April 08.
He also had to attend several classes (seminars?) regarding his new role. One of them was a class on "Bahasa Baku" :P

Met with several condos' RAs which seeked Ed's advice. Also attended some of their AGMs (more condo AGMs tomorrow too!)

That's probably just one eight of what they've done in the past two to three weeks.
Sorry for the poor account. Will have see how we can best work this out with me still working a full-time job.

Oh, and lastly, they're both at the second KL High Court hearing about the development on Bukit Gasing now.

*

Also, have you noticed that MBPJ has become more efficient? I used to be really mad at the potholes in my area. It would take a couple of months for them to fix it, but now it takes max two weeks! (It's as though a burden has been lifted off them :))

Let's give them credit for their work done in the past month.
And let's hope that with Ed working closely with them, Bukit Gasing will be up and running smoothly in no time :)

Meanwhile, should there be any other issues in your area, do read on how to make a complaint to MBPJ here.

Okay, back to work for me! (Would rather be in the High Courth hearing though...)

-Charlotte

.:VIdeo : 23 Apr KL High Court:.

High court extends injunction



Read further here.

.:Pics : Bkt Gasing Family Day:.

I had taken shots when it was raining really heavily and thundering really loudly, but the pictures came out really bad! The following pictures were taken when the sky was slightly brighter.

*

Looks like almost all were prepared with an umbrella! :)

The sky got brighter and more people showed up. The rain was still more than a trickle though.

Even this baby wasn't excluded.

Ultimately, it's their future we're fighting for.

Blow wind blow!!

Supporters who came from Ampang.

.:Malay Mail - 15 April 08:.

Status quo on KL hillslope projects

THERE is no change envisioned in the way City Hall evaluates proposed development on hill sides and slopes.

Asked if Kuala Lumpur would emulate the latest move by the Selangor government on such projects, Federal Territory Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique replied: “At the moment, we are not discussing that (issue).”

He told The Malay Mail that there are regulations in place gov erning the matter.

“Chief secretary Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan is the chairman for the ministry’s committee for sens itive environment.

“He will be able to tell you the criteria of the development of hillslope projects,” Zulhasnan said after a two-hour meeting on Friday with MPs for the Federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan — the first after the recent general election.

Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had announced last Wednesday that the State would no longer entertain new development applications on slopes with gradients of 25 per cent or more, but some 141 projects approved by the previous administration could continue. [emphasis added]

The policy is aimed at preserving the environment and to avoid damaging water catchment areas.

“The environmental reason for the policy is to avoid landslides. The government also would not need to build houses in highland areas anymore as there are many flat areas for development.

“The greenery in Selangor would be a tourist attraction,” he had said.

.:Malay Mail 14 April 08:.

.:Gasing Hill development:.

Development on Gasing Hill is by Sanctuary Ridge.

Stop-work order received by DBKL!
See document here.

Articles
.:Malay Mail - 14 April 2008:.
.:Malay Mail - 15 April 2008:.


Videos
.:23 April 2008 : KL High Court:.

Service centre

We've acquired an office to be used as our service centre, and it's provided for free by MBPJ. It was actually for the previous years' MBPJ councillors to use but it remained unoccupied. Not sure why...

Anyway, we're open Tuesdays from 8.30pm to 10.30pm, so do pop by our cosy little space :)

Complaints : steps

Step 1:
Call MBPJ at their hotline at 03-7954 2020 or email them at aduan@mbpj.gov.my to lodge a complaint. Get a reference number of the lodged complaint. Be sure to have all necessary information before calling, eg address of area of complaint, and leave your contact number so that they're able to call you back.

Step 2:
If there is no action, do visit MBPJ every alternate Friday (1st and 3rd week of the month) from 8am - 12pm at the MBPJ Civic Centre with your complaint reference number to follow up. (You may also go to MBPJ straight away to lodge your complaint and get your reference number there.) The sessions every alternate Friday is the council's meet-the-public session and all Heads of Department are required to be present to tend to the the public's complaints.

Step 3:
Should there still be no response to your issue, get your local councillor to follow up on the complaint.

Step 4:
If there's still no action after going through steps 1-3, email us and we will enquire with the necessary departments about the complainant.

(The reason we do not encourage the public to come directly to Ed is because the public must give MBPJ a chance to correct the problem first.)

.:Kota Damansara:.

The Star
Wednesday March 19, 2008
Storm in a teacup
By SALINA KHALID

THE Kota Damansara Muslim Cemetery will remain but there will be no more development in the area, according to Kota Damansara state assemblyman Dr Mohd Nasir Hashim.

“We have decided to keep the cemetery but at the same time ensure that the surrounding will remain a green area.

Allaying fears: Dr Mohd Nasir assuring the Kota Damansara residents
that the Muslim cemetery would remain.

“Since the land still belongs to the state government, we will make sure that there is no further development at this forest reserve,” he said, referring to the Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve.

Dr Mohd Nasir made this promise to a group of 50 Kota Damansara residents who had gathered at the cemetery’s main entrance yesterday to protest against the visit by Bukit Gasing state assemblyman Edward Lee and to demand that the cemetery remains there.

The newly elected DAP state assemblyman was caught in a sticky situation when he decided to conduct a site visit to the Muslim burial site.

His visit was misconstrued and had made the residents who had been fighting for the cemetery uneasy.

The group was seen at the main entrance of the cemetery as early as 9am. Some had put up banners on the fence urging the new state government to leave the cemetery alone.

Also present were representatives from Majlis Perbandaran Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) the Forestry Department.

“The residents wanted to know the purpose of Lee’s visit to the cemetery.

‘‘That is why they decided to gather here and find out for themselves,” said Kota Damansara Cemetery Development committee chairman Alpadzul Abu Hassan.

He said Lee had called representatives from the MBPJ, Forestry Department and also the Cemetery Development Committee to brief him on the cemetery development.

Alpadzul, who is also Section 6 residents’ association chairman, said they felt that Lee should not have come charging there to get such information and should have talked to Dr Mohd Nasir or sought details from MBPJ.

In response to the situation, Lee said it was all due to miscommunication.

“I went there to check on the environmental issue and not the cemetery.

Lee said he had received complaints from the residents living near the cemetery, voicing out their fears that the development would not stop at the cemetery.

He said as he had been involved in the Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve issue for a few years, he had wanted to check on its status himself.

The cemetery, which is part of the depleting Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve, was the subject of controversy last year.

A group of residents and those who wanted to keep the green area had objected to it.

_____________________

Wednesday March 19, 2008

Attn: Brian Martin, Star Metro Editor
RE: Article ‘STORM IN A TEACUP’ by reporter SALINA KHALID on March 19, 2008
The elected representative for Bukit Gasing Edward Lee Poh Lin would like to make a correction as to the reports stated in the article mentioned above, which paints him as meddling in the affairs of the Kota Damansara community.

The erroneous 11th paragraph is as follows:
He said Lee had called representatives from the MBPJ, Forestry Department and also the Cemetery Development Committee to brief him on the cemetery development.

Your reporter quoted Mr Alpadzul Abu Hassan in this matter but failed to record if indeed Mr Lee had in fact done this and paints a picture that Mr Lee was meddling in the affairs of the Muslim Cemetery when it was clearly not the case.

Mr Lee did not request for the Forestry Department or the Cemetery Development Committee to be present.

Mr Lee was made to understand that the meeting would also be with Kota Damansara state assemblyman Dr Mohd Nasir Hashim and this was done.

To put the record straight, a group of Kota Damansara residents had voiced their concern over a section of the forest that was away from the main cemetery was found being cleared and sought Mr Lee’s advice on the matter as there had been little official information available on the Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve from MBPJ.

To allay the residents’ fears, Mr Lee asked the mayor, Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman for MBPJ to conduct a site visit. The mayor suggested that Town Planning Department assistant director Zain Asly will be requested to assist in briefing the concerned residents on the status of the project as MBPJ Town Planning Department director Sharipah Marhani Syed Ali was supposed to be away performing the Umrah..

However, instead of a single MBPJ officer, MBPJ Town Planning Department director Sharipah Marhani Syed Ali personally came and brought an entourage. We are perplexed as to what sparked unwarranted fears of the Kota Damansara Muslim Cemetery committee as what was intended was a quiet visit to acquaint the residents of MBPJ’s plans for the whole forest.

Mr Lee was invited by the residents as an advisor in his capacity as the All PJ Proaction Committee pro tem chairman and not as Bukit Gasing assemblyman since he has yet to be sworn in.


We urge your good paper to publish this correction.

Regards,
K.W. Mak

On behalf of Edward Lee

_____________________

The Star
Thursday March 20, 2008

Assemblyman: I was invited by residents' group

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee was invited by Kota Damansara residents to visit the area on Tuesday in his capacity as advisor and pro-tem chairman of the All PJ Pro-Action Committee.

Lee said he was invited by the group of residents who was concerned over a section of the forest that was far away from the main cemetery which was allegedly being cleared, and the residents sought his advice on the matter.

He also said it was not he who had requested for the Forestry Department and Cemetery Development Committee to be present at the site during the visit.

In a statement in response to an article published in the Star Metro under the heading “Storm in a teacup” on Wednesday, Lee said he had asked Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Roslan Sakiman to conduct a site visit to Kota Damansara. The mayor, however suggested that a senior official from the Town Planning department be present instead.

“We are perplexed as to what sparked unwarranted fears of the Kota Damansara Muslim Cemetery committee as what was intended was a quiet visit to acquaint the residents of MBPJ's plans for the whole forest,” Lee said.

.:18 March 2008:.

hi all

1. charlotte said it all. these last few days post election have been extremely hectic.

2. my heartfelt thanks for all those who voted me into this huge and responsible undertaking of being your adun. i shall do my best not to fail your trust.

3. i am receiving many crank calls ranging from people who think that the adun's are at their beck and call even at 1.30 am in the morning - just to complain that there are snatch thieves and burglaries in their vicinity. the girl who called said that it wasn't her that called last night night but her friend who used her phone. told her i don't mind if she was in imminent danger but for complaints, pls call at more reasonable hours and give your poor adun some sleep. she apologised and said that she thought we were on 24 hours call standby, sigh!

4. then there were several that gave false reports - even sent photos to back their complaints. mak and i went to check and found the reports false. i guess that's the hazards of life of an adun.

5. attended court in jalan duta this morning on the bukit gasing/gasing meridien issue. the learned judge granted leave for the applicants to a hearing on april 23, 2008. round one to the residents of bukit gasing.

6. will be visiting old town market tomorrow morning at 8.00 am for an appreciation walkabout.

7. after the walkabout its off to kota damansara to accompany a director of mbpj to inspect alleged encroachment of the green area there. the clearing of vast swathes of green was supposedly meant to be the carpark for the Muslim cemetery sited there.

8. we are working together with the police to help them recruit police rank and file in their 2008 intake. this exercise still requires the approval of the chief police officer of selangor but for now should you or your friends, children wish to join the police force, pls contact us and give us the basic details e.g. name, age, address academic qualifications etc so that we may compile them with others received and hand them over to the recruitment officer. we will help monitor the potential recruits and assist in whatever way possible to ensure the youth of our communities are enlisted. pls send your applications to my email address.

cheers for now,
ed

.:Map : N.34 polling schools:.

Polling schools for N.34 Bukit Gasing.
Click map for larger image.

.:Video : Interview with Ed:.