Group wants Teng out
(The Star) KLANG: A group of non-governmental organisations are calling for the removal of Teng Chang Khim as state Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (CAT) chairman over his statements on the Klang Bus Station issue.
A letter, signed by 11 NGOs, was sent to Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim last week over Teng’s remarks that Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam, Klang MP Charles Santiago and Kota Raja MP Dr Mariah Mahmud “acted like the Opposition” by questioning the shifting of the station.
Among the NGOs that signed the letter were the Klang Consumer Association, Selangor Consumer Welfare Association, Malaysian Dravidians Associations Klang and Port Klang chapters, Malaysian Consumers Advisory Association and Makkal Sakti Klang.
They said there was no reason for Teng, who is the State Assembly Speaker and Sungai Pinang assemblyman, to show his anger and launch a personal attack against the leaders.
They also felt that Teng’s defence of the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) decision and attacks against the leaders showed his failure to uphold CAT’s aim in ensuring that government agencies were competent and transparent.
Teng, they said, should have taken a neutral stand on the issue that had affected commuters, businesses, taxi and bus operators.
Klang Consumer Association president Devdass Anjan said several organisations had urged MPK to make public the concession agreement with the developer of the new Klang Sentral Terminal.
He claimed that the council ignored the calls and went ahead with the move.
Klang and Coastal Selangor Kereta Sewa And Taxi Owners Association secretary Mohd Aris Mohd Isa said the council failed to look into the various problems now faced by the association’s members, like the reduction of bays from 150 to just 33.
M. Logesvaran, who represented bus operators, said it would cost more to travel the additional 9km to the new station located along the traffic jam-prone Jalan Meru.
Traders operating from stalls at Klang Sentral were also said to be suffering as even the kacang putih seller was asked to pay RM2,000 a month in rental.
