So, this is the story of the man. How could things be tolerated for so long and no one dare to take actions. If the opposition parties could be more rationalised when commenting the issue to the rakyat, i think more poeple would come forward to aid the investigation.
Do you think the people in the authority will dare to pull down the mansion ?
The Star Online > Nation
Monday October 30, 2006
It's serious when the Selangor Sultan has to step in
Comment by Wong Chun Wai
WHEN Datuk Zakaria Md Deros walked into the Bilik Mengadap, the audience room of the Istana Bukit Kayangan, for his meeting with the Sultan of Selangor, he must have noticed the newspaper clippings spread on a table.
They were all about the controversial Port Klang assemblyman and Klang municipal councillor who had built his four-storey mansion without council approval.
Others included his failure to pay assessment for his current house for 12 years as well as the non-payment of assessment of the Port Klang Umno office and the Kampung Idaman Umno branch buildings for at least 10 years.
Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had read other documents, letters and reports from investigations by the palace staff.
He also wanted to know how the DZ Satay Restaurant belonging to Zakaria was sitting on government land. Again, with no council approval.
The royal reprimand to the Klang strongman was simple – quit as a councillor, pay up your assessment, submit approvals for buildings and behave yourself or risk having your Datukship revoked.
The Ruler had another advice – bersopan santun and berbudi bahasa (be polite and courteous) - in an apparent reference to complaints that Zakaria was rude and arrogant.
Zakaria’s immediate boss – Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo - followed up with a deadline for him to quit by Nov 8.
So far, the cigar-chomping politician has not responded but the likelihood is that he would give up his council post.
His case is made complicated by the fact that his son, Zainuri, and daughter-in-law, Roselinda Abdul Jamil, had also been nominated as councillors.
For sure, the former railway gatekeeper and office boy isn’t going to lose his political clout in Klang.
No Umno councillors contacted by the press were prepared to respond to the advice given to Zakaria for fear that they would offend him. His reputation certainly precedes him.
But despite his political connection, his backers may now find it difficult to defend him as much as they want to.
The fact is Zakaria has become a political liability, not just to Umno but the Barisan Nasional. Certainly, there is no shortage of local politicians in Klang who are prepared and even more qualified to fill in his shoes.
Zakaria is no stranger to controversies.
In 2000, he allegedly slapped Bandar Klang assemblyman Teng Chang Kim at the state assembly building. A heated argument had broken out during coffee break between the two, when Zakaria voiced dissatisfaction over the use of the word haram with regards to factories squatting on agriculture land.
The issue was subsequently settled amicably in front of the Mentri Besar with both assemblymen advised to respect the House.
In 2001, Zakaria was among 13 Umno members who were found guilty by the Umno disciplinary board for breaching party ethics during the party polls. He was issued with a warning.
On the local level, the people of Klang still cannot forget how a group of councillors, including Zakaria, backed a RM10.4mil project, which has now been scrapped following public protests.
The plan called for 1.2ha of a 10.3ha field to be developed into a complex with three to five storey buildings housing 60 units of offices and shop lots. Twenty per cent of these lots were reported to be given to the Klang Municipal Council (MPK).
If Dr Khir had not stopped the project, it would have meant the loss of another public park.
Zakaria backed the project at a meeting, ironically saying it would “enliven the area and increase revenue for the council in the form of assessment.”
The strongest objection came from Datuk Teh Kim Poh, the Pandamaran assemblyman.
What was more frightening were the reports that Teh’s protests against the project at a council meeting were not recorded.
There have been many allegations of how the minutes were purportedly altered since then.
But the Selangor state government should sit up and listen to the grievances of the people of Klang. Any visitor to this town can tell that the MPK has not maintained it well.
The crime rate in Klang has long been a problem with shopkeepers putting up grilles on their premises.
The royal town needs good elected representatives and municipal councillors, who care about making Klang a better place to live in.
Zakaria’s political fate is now in the balance. He would be scrutinised more than ever from now.
As Dr Khir said, everyone makes mistakes and they should be given a chance.
Zakaria’s contributions to Klang should not be ignored and certainly, he has erred but that doesn’t mean he cannot be forgiven.
He must be prepared to repent and not blame what has taken place on rival politicians or the media, like some would do.
His immediate tasks would be to resolve the many complaints that have been stacked up against him. Zakaria is already being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Agency for abuse of power.
In fact, ordinary Malaysians are asking why many politicians, in general, are able to live in huge mansions with lifestyles only corporate figures can match.
It has been reported that other Klang councillors also have similar “palaces” with no approvals and they have ignored the MPK because “others are also doing so.”
The Zakaria Md Deros case is no longer a local case but has gained national attention because ordinary Malaysians can no longer stomach such abuses.
They do not want to see civil servants and the people being bullied and intimidated by powerful “war lords” while some politicians prefer to “close one eye” for political expediency.
In this case, the apparent lack of strong political will at state level has led to the intervention of Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
Related Stories:Commotion outside mansionZakaria's satay restaurant sealed by MPKEarlier stories
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