I want to join a long line of Malaysians to congratulate our Prime Minister Adullah Ahmad Badawi for his remarkable feat in leading the BN to a sweeping victory, in the recent March 2004 general election of the country. Tahniah YAB ! I would also say, 'Sorry I am late!'

I am late in congratulating our PM because I am disturbed by the many cases of abuse of power by some municipal council enforcers. Please Pak Lah, besides tackling issues of corruption and poverty, you must get rid of these no good, self-acclaimed authorities among the various government departments.

Their doings are bringing misery to the public and are contributing to the injustice towards traders and the general mass. They impose rules and regulations according to their wildest whims and act like kings.

Examples are plenty:

1) In February 2004, poultry sellers at Selayang wholesale market near Kuala Lumpur were not allowed by the local municipal enforcement officers to leave empty cages on their small lorries after they had unloaded the birds (chickens).

2) A pair of youths faced court charges for just holding hands also in Kuala Lumpur.

3) Dates on cheques must be stamped, and not hand written, when made payable to the Road Transport Department (JPJ) in Kuala Lumpur. This is a ruling made recently to inconvenience the public. How silly to have the JPJ imposing its own banking rules.

4) A National Service trainer was arrested for the alleged rape of an NS trainee. If proved, this amounts to an abuse of his position as a trainer. As our PM has said, it is despicable, shameful and unforgivable if the charge against him is true.

5) The Subang Jaya municipal council has suggested that if one wishes to keep a dog as a pet, he must obtain consent from his neighbours first. How ridiculous!

6) The recent suggestion of Selangor Mentri Besar Mohd Khir Toyo to sell low cost flats to middle- and upper-income groups who in turn will let out the flats to poorer people. Out of this world! It clearly defies the purpose of the government's housing effort for housing for the lower-income group. One wonders if there was any hidden agenda behind the suggestion?

Dear PM, these are the wretched people who will wreck your good work in days, and downgrade the BN government's reputation to shambles. Please instruct your respective ministries to do something. Any wrongdoers must be punished not just reprimanded.

You do not anticipate being usurped by the opposition within the next five years, do you, Datuk Seri?