Catch 22@PJ: Roles of Local Authorities

Everybody understands well the roles of local authorities in Malaysia. The Local Authorities were established under the Local Government Act, 1976 to provide urban services and facilities, to control urban development and to collect taxes. These are basically the traditional roles of local authorities in Malaysia. However, over the years, due to neo-centralism, many services such as sewerage, expressway construction, public transportation and in near future the solid waste management have been given away. The rapid urbanisation process in which new type of activities emerge and new lifestyle have also affected the operation model of local authorities. Local Authorities are now spending more time on enforcing and regulating wrong doings, maintaining peace and safety, providing welfare aids to the needy, mediating conflicts amongst stakeholders and promoting sustainable development.

Local Authorities as the third tier government and the closet to the grassroots, have no other choice, but to evolve meeting the new expectations and new aspirations of the people. People expect to see a more proactive and friendly urban service provider, firm with affirmative actions enforcer, forward looking planner and socio-economic facilitator or promoter. Local authorities have to venture out from the traditional cocoon of mentality, operation, mind set and modus operandi. Matters like global warming and climate change, trans-national migration, economic development, gender equity, inter-generational gap, disabled challenges, resolving the conflicts etc are new, but unavoidable encounterings for local authorities. These are events by themselves or link to other consequences, and if not check from the starting will have far reaching effects on urban environment. For instance, although the competency level on soft skills for fresh graduates is not directly under the purview of local authorities, any good gesture of local authorities to look into it and to find an amicable solution complimenting the efforts done by any other agencies or partners who offer their inputs and help, why not? Similarly, local authorities have role to play in minimising the impacts of economic recession on urban development and the residents. Although Federal and State Government with bigger fiscal muscle and authorities can make adjustment on fiscal and tax structure to revive the economic situation or to help public on reducing financial burden, local authorities can with their own small way to compliment the efforts. For example, expedite the process of licensing and allowing more business opportunities can be of help.

Now, the local authorities come to the Catch 22 situation. It is a matter of wanting to remain as a local authority with traditional roles or venture into emerging roles in parallel with the desires and aspiration of its' objects.