GEORGE TOWN: Penang municipal councillors will be paid more from this year.

State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said both the monthly and meeting allowances had been raised to ensure active participation from the councillors.

He said the monthly allowance was raised from RM600 to RM700, and the meeting allowance from RM50 to RM60 for a maximum of 10 meetings.

“This means that the maximum they will be allowed to claim for attending meetings is RM600 compared with the current RM400 for eight meetings.

“We are giving the additional meetings allowance to encourage councillors to take part in all full council, administrative, and permanent committee meetings,” he said after announcing the list of councillors for both the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) and Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) in Komtar on Wednesday.

Chow said while the appointment of the councillors were meant for a year, those who failed to perform would have their appointments revoked.

“We are very firm when it comes to performance and services provided by the councillors. I hope the additional incentives will help the councillors carry out their duties well,” he added.

Chow said four councillors each from MPPP and MPSP had been appointed to sit in their respective One-Stop Centre (OSC) committee.

They are Yeoh Soon Hin (DAP), Harvindar Singh (DAP), Abdul Rahman Ismail (PKR) and J. Francis (PKR) for MPPP, and Soon Lip Chee (DAP), Oon Neow Aun (DAP), Ahmad Farid Md Arshad (PKR) and Goh Choon Aik (PKR) for MPSP.

A total of 24 councillors each from MPSP and MPPP were appointed with four new faces in MPSP, two from the DAP and one each from PKR and PAS.

For MPPP, there were five new faces, three from PKR and one each from PAS and a non-governmental organisation.

The Star - January 9, 2010
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/9/nation/5438284&sec=nation