Seven to advise on local councils

The Star

IPOH: Perak has appointed seven professionals to sit on its new Independent Advisory Body for Local Government.

State Education, Local Government, Housing and Public Transport Committee chairman Nga Kor Ming said the seven would advise the state on managing the 15 local councils.

“They will also assist in the selection of councillors,” he said yesterday before handing out appointment letters to members of the advisory body.

The seven are former Ipoh City Council Datuk Bandar Datuk Ismail Shah Bodin, Datuk Anwar Hassan, Datuk Seri Yeop Junior Yeop Adlan, lawyer James Devadason, Datin Teoh Phaik Lean, accountant Datuk Richard Ong Guan Seng and lawyer Chan Kok Keong.

A secretariat, he said, would be set up at the State Secretariat building for the advisory body.

“Deputy state secretary Zakuan Zakaria will be the secretary of the secretariat,” he said, adding that the seven would decide among themselves who would helm the body.

He hoped with the advisory body, positive changes could be made to the state.