Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today called for an amendment of all local council by-laws which are outdated or irrelevant in the present circumstances.

This was important to find new ways for the local authorities to discharge their duties more effectively, he said.

NONE Muhyiddin was opening the Local Authorities Convention 2009 and the biennial conference of the Amalgamated National Union of Local Authority Employees (Anulae) at the CIDB Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

The deputy prime minister responded to a suggestion by Anulae (Peninsular Malaysia) president Azih Muda in his welcoming speech that local authority by-laws should be reviewed and standardised.

Muhyiddin said many local authority by-laws came under the purview of the state governments and it was up to them to review them, adding that any matter associated with the federal government could be brought to the attention of the Housing and Local Government Ministry.

On Azih's suggestion that the allocation for local authorities be raised from the RM300 million under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010) to RM3 billion under the 10th plan (2011-2015), Muhyiddin said allocations were given to local authorities despite the adverse impact of the world recession on the country.

"Although we understand that the allocations are not big, they are put to good use," he said.

On Azih's comment that Anulae was dissatisfied with the performance of private companies handling refuse disposal and cleanliness, Muhyiddin said most of these companies did their work well but admitted that there were shortcomings.

He said the federal government wanted all those given the responsibility to carry out their tasks to the best of their ability as the people wanted effective service.

"This is something close to the people's hearts. The people want to live in a clean environment. As such, I seek the cooperation of all local authority officers and staff to ensure that the people are well taken care of," he said.

Important role to play

The deputy prime minister said local authorities had an important role to play, directly or indirectly, in the government's efforts to raise the living standard of the people, particularly those in the rural areas.

Muhyiddin said the local authorities were the major agents of the government in the implementation of the six National Key Results Areas (NKRAs), which are reducing the crime rate, expanding access to quality and affordable education, fighting corruption, strengthening infrastructure in the rural and remote areas, raising the standard of living of the low-income group, and improving public transportation.

He said it was the government's desire to see local authority employees, as the frontliners, maintain a high-performance work culture, strengthen integrity at work and emphasise discipline.

Efficient management and a people-friendly delivery system of local authorities was in line with the 1Malaysia concept of "People First, Performance Now" introduced by the prime minister, he said.

The slogan and concept would be meaningless unless the local authority employees translated them into a positive work culture and noble values, he said, adding that the public service delivery system must be efficient so as to reduce the chances of corruption taking place.

"Malaysia must be firm and strive harder towards eliminating corruption and upholding integrity," he said. - Bernama