My last column argued - premised upon the Athi Nahappan Royal Commission Report - that increased and improved accountability at the local government level, through the election of mayors, is one sure and clear way to move towards better governance at the city level - and later towards all municipal council levels.

Although Petaling Jaya has been a city for a few years now, even under the Pakatan government, the only real effects of systems improvement noticed within the lived space - or at governmental level - are changes related to state-level abuse by former systems of procurement related to rubbish clearance, or maintenance of drains and water flows, or even the upkeep of green spaces.

These have mostly been decentralised to independent suppliers of such services.