Thesun 2009-02-12 Page06 Selangor To Make Offers To Four Water Concessionaires Tomorrow

6

theSun

| THURSDAY FEBRUARY 12 2009

news without borders

Guidelines for billboards in PJ finalised by Maria J.Dass [email protected]

PETALING JAYA: The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has finalised a comprehensive set of guidelines to be used as a reference for all billboard applications and approvals in the city. Councillor Derek Fernandez said the guidelines will be tabled at the MBPJ sustainable development sub-committee (Mampan) meeting today. He said it was the first such guidelines to be drawn up by a local authority together with industry players, residents and the relevant parties. “The focus of the guidelines is more on public safety,” said Fernandez. He said the guidelines include factors needed to be considered when approving a billboard, including public participation from neighbouring landowners and residents associations, the city’s aesthetic qualities, adherence to industry standards and advertising associations’ code of conduct and social responsibility, especially in ensuring that advertising structures are insured. On the current blitz on illegal billboards in the city, Fernandez said MBPJ was now at stage one of its operation, focusing on billboards erected at traffic lights and T-junctions. “We are also removing billboards which block out playgrounds and open areas making it unsafe for the public,” he said. “At least, when the playgrounds are unblocked, then children and pedestrians are

in full view of motorists and we hope that this will reduce the incidence of muggings and thefts,” he added. Fernandez said traffic light junctions were targeted because accident rates were reportedly high in such areas. “In addition, there have also been complaints that the billboards were distracting or blocked the view of motorists. The removal of billboards at such junctions is also in line with Road Safety Council and Public Works Department requirements. “The licences for the affected billboards have not been renewed this year,” he said, adding that there were 36 such billboards in the city. The cost of removing each billboard is between RM7,000 and RM10,000. Fernandez said dismantling costs will be borne by the companies involved. “We have issued notices to them to remove the billboards. Some have done so on their own, but others have yet to respond or act. They will be torn down by the MBPJ and placed in a store for 14 days. Owners can pay for the cost incurred and claim the items.” If uncollected within 14 days, the MBPJ will sell the items as scrap metal, while the owner will be blacklisted and will not be allowed to put up billboards in the city until their dues are paid. “Many owners have been responsible and took down the billboard themselves. For their cooperation, we’ill consider their applications for fresh and suitable sites in the city when they re-apply,” added Fernandez.

Selangor to make offers to four water concessionaires tomorrow SHAH ALAM: Friday is D-day for four water concession companies as the Selangor government will be making them an offer to take over their assets and equities. This offer, said Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, follows six months of negotiations where the state is looking to restructuring the water industry in Selangor and lowering the tariffs. Speaking at yesterday’s post-exco press conference, Abdul Khalid said his office will also be organising a forum by the end of the month to explain to the public and other stakeholders the intricacies surrounding the water restructuring exercise. “The executive council has decided to issue letters of offer to the four companies – Konsortium Abass Sdn Bhd, Puncak Niaga (M) Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Pengeluaran Air Selangor Holdings Bhd (Splash) and Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas). “The state, through a special panel set up to study the water industry restructuring in Selangor, has carried out detailed

studies and valuation of the assets and equities of the four companies,” he said. “The offer is reasonable and takes into account their interest and benefit to all parties involved,” he said, adding that the profit to the companies involved would also be fair. However, he declined to reveal the value of the offers, saying as the companies involved are public-listed, such information is sensitive and will not be revealed until the process of negotiations is completed. “We hope the parties involved will agree to this bid so that the water services industry restructuring process in the state can continue before March 31 as required by the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry,” he said. “This cooperation will be greatly appreciated as it can prevent the increase in water tariffs which will be a burden to the rakyat , especially during the current challenging economic climate,” he added. On the public forum, Abdul Khalid said

policymakers at state and federal levels, public and consumer bodies, academics, water industry players and individuals from the private sector will be on hand at the session to explain issues in the water industry and restructuring efforts. “We are committed to ensuring that the restructuring exercise is implemented effectively for maximum benefit for the rakyat,” he said. On another note, Abdul Khalid said a meeting involving all parliamentarians and state assemblymen in the state will be held today to address the issue of defections which has taken centre stage following the resignation of three Pakatan Rakyat (PR) representatives in Perak that led to the collapse of the PR state government. Responding to claims that Port Klang assemblyman Badrul Hisham Abdullah had gone missing and is believed to have been cajoled to leave PR, the Mentri Besar denied that Badrul Hisham had left the coalition. – by Maria J. Dass

CAP wants laws to curb SMS scams

MPSJ demolishes illegal structure

GEORGE TOWN: The government must ensure privacy laws are in place to stop banks and companies from misusing personal information collected from consumers which could lead to SMS scams. Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president S.M. Mohamed Idris said personal information should not be made available to others without the consumer’s knowledge. “We need privacy laws to penalise companies that misuse personal information it collected or did not keep securely,” he said at a press conference. He also urged the government to put in place a law that makes credit card companies equally liable for any breach of contract or misrepresentation by a supplier. “In the UK, they have a provision in the Consumer Credit Act 1974 that provides for cardholders to make a claim against the credit card company if they discover problems with goods or services purchased with their credit cards,” he said.

by Tim Leonard [email protected]

Part of the wall that was demolished by MPSJ yesterday.

SERI KEMBANGAN: As part of its crackdown on illegal structures, the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) demolished a brick wall built at a businessman’s bungalow at the exclusive enclave of The Mines near here yesterday. MPSJ enforcement of-

ficer Mohd Kamil told theSun that the structure was built without approval on a plot of land that did not belong to the businessman. He said MPSJ acted following a complaint from a resident in the vicinity. However, he said MPSJ did not demolish the entire structure yesterday because the owner had appealed to the authorities. The wall, measuring 20 metres long, was erected at the entrance of the bungalow. . The owner of the bungalow, Jacob Chan Teng Mong, said he built the wall at a cost of more than RM100,000, to prevent water from entering his property as the area became a water catchment area whenever it rained. “I complained many times to the management that water was flooding the area to my house but no action was taken, so I decided to build the wall,” he said.