Ipoh City Council staff urged to become exemplary, high-performing role models
State housing and local government chairman Sandra Ng (middle) presents awards to the council staff during the council employee awarding programme.
IPOH: Ipoh City Council (MBI) staff must strive to become high-performing knowledge workers or 'K-workers' who set the standard for other local authorities, says an exco member.
Perak housing and local government committee chairman Sandrea Ng Shy Ching said knowledgeable, creative, and committed personnel are essential to the city council's success.
Ng stressed that development initiatives and strategic planning are equally vital to shaping Ipoh.
'The City Council's role extends beyond cleaning drains, collecting rubbish and cutting grass, but also encompasses city development and the enhancement of human capital.
'MBI is not just here to solve basic municipal problems. It plays a much larger role in driving development, improving services, and elevating Ipoh's status as a city we can all be proud of,' she said in her speech at the city council's excellent service award event held at a hotel here on Thursday (May 15).
Ng also congratulated the 236 recipients of the award, calling them role models, and praised the council for its tireless commitment to maintaining a clean and livable city.
She said the council's cleaning staff were noted for working late into the night to ensure cleanliness levels remained optimal, an effort seen as essential ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
'Between January 1 and Dec 31 last year, MBI undertook extensive efforts including cleaning 30,892 metres of drains, clearing 6,837 illegal dumping sites, and disposing of 223,672.63 tonnes of domestic waste.
'MBI also organised 101 gotong-royong sessions, installed 2,024 'no littering' signs, and issued 1,444 compounds worth RM373,250 to litterbugs,' she said.
Ng reiterated the importance of strong leadership continuity within the council to drive further achievements, stating that such leadership would guide Ipoh toward becoming a smart, prosperous, and sustainable city.
Also present was Ipoh City Council secretary Ahmad Munir Ishak, who said that 176 excellent service award recipients would each receive an incentive of RM1,000 in the form of a Bank Simpanan Nasional Premium Savings Certificate, a certificate of appreciation, and a commemorative gold coin.
Meanwhile, 60 recipients of the excellent proficiency award would receive a RM400 Bank Simpanan Nasional Premium Savings Certificate and a certificate of appreciation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
'This is all I could afford' - Businesswoman apologises for RM1m budget for daughter's birthday party, netizens amused
THERE are no limits to how much wealthy individuals can spend on certain occasions – even more than the average person might spend in a lifetime. A viral TikTok video recently sparked scrutiny online after a businesswoman apologised to her daughter for spending 'only' RM1 million on her 11th birthday celebration. 'Please forgive me. This is all I could afford to give you – only RM1 million. I've spent it all on your birthday this time,' read the video text. The video made rounds online, with many accusing the entrepreneur of flaunting her wealth. In the video, the businesswoman's child was shown receiving several expensive gifts, including an Apple iMac, a Rolex watch, and a Toyota Vellfire. '(I) hope you, my daughter, are happy with these gifts even if they are not much,' she added. Later in the video, the entrepreneur further explains that the lavish party was planned in advance as a surprise for her daughter. 'During her birthday, she came up to me twice, expecting me to wish her but I acted like I did not know anything about it,' she said, further apologising. Netizens shared their thoughts on the lavish birthday bash, with many responding jokingly to the amount spent. 'RM1 million only? Poor child, don't be so stingy with them,' one user joked. 'Even if it's RM10, it's far more meaningful coming from a mother's heart than spending RM1 million for the sake of content,' commented another. 'Not to be rude, but it seems like she's trying really hard to show off,' one netizen claimed. Several users also commented on the child's extravagant gifts, particularly the Toyota Vellfire, noting its impracticality. 'She's been gifted a car even though she's not old enough to drive it,' another remarked.
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Taxed to the max, Kenyans cry foul
THE pay stubs tell the story – hefty deductions to help cover the cost of Kenya's new funds for affordable housing and health insurance, more money deducted for jacked-up contributions to the National Social Security Fund and an increase in the tax rate. In a matter of months, Kenyans with a 45,000-shilling-a-month salary (RM1,474) saw their take-home pay shrink 9%. 'People who are salaried are crying,' said Kennedy Odede, founder of a self-help association in Nairobi's Kibera slum. The increased payroll taxes are one element of President William Ruto's desperate bid to raise revenue to keep the government running and pay off Kenya's staggering foreign debt. Shoppers at the Toi Market in Nairobi. — Brian Otieno/The New York Times New excise taxes were put on sugar, alcohol and plastics. A tax on business profits doubled to 3%. Government fees for money transfers and for phone and internet data services went up 15% to 20%. A tax on every import, including essentials such as wheat and cooking oil, to be used for railroad development was increased to 2% from 1.5%. Some exemptions for retirees were scrapped. The list goes on. Tax increases are never popular. But the impact on countries such as Kenya, with low incomes and crippling debt, is particularly acute. Years of harum-scarum borrowing and spending combined with economic wallops from the Covid-19 pandemic, soaring interest rates and inflation helped drive up Kenya's debt to US$80bil. Kenya has to use nearly 60% of its revenue for paying off its loans. It is a common problem across Africa, where many countries spend more on interest payments than on health or education. At the same time, countries need billions of dollars in new financing for basic medical care, schools, clean water, sewage systems, paved roads and climate-related disaster relief. Getting the country's finances in order is a prerequisite for long-term growth. Residents of the Kibera slum of Nairobi. — Brian Otieno/The New York Times But there are limited options to raise such revenue in Kenya, where 40% of its 52 million people live in poverty and youth unemployment is estimated to top 25%. Small businesses and subsistence agriculture make up much of the economy. According to one estimate, 83% of the country's labour force works in jobs that are out of tax collectors' sight, including as hairdressers, maids, street sellers and drivers. That means the sliver of the population that works in enterprises that record salaries bears most of the tax burden. 'Our buying power has really decreased because of the taxes,' said Elizabeth Okumu, who works at Shining Hope for Communities, or Shofco, a non-profit organisation that Odede started two decades ago. The country's economic crisis has pushed the value of the shilling lower in relation to the US dollar, meaning that the cost of imports has soared. Six months ago, 1,000 shillings (RM32.7) was enough for cooking oil, flour, rice and sugar, said Okumu, chair of Shofco's urban network in Nairobi. Now, she said, she can buy only sugar and flour with that same amount. Last year, proposed tax increases set off deadly riots in Nairobi, the capital. More than 50 people were killed, and part of parliament was set on fire. The government temporarily backed down, only to reimpose many of the additional taxes and fees a few weeks later. The government has been talking to the International Monetary Fund about a new loan package. The fund is likely to ask for additional guarantees that the Ruto administration will cut spending and raise more revenue. But you can't squeeze much water from a wrung-out towel. Behind the widespread discontent with specific policies is a deep cynicism about the government's ability to either pay back the debt or provide essential services. Regular reports from the country's auditor-general, Nancy Gathungu, detail gross examples of corruption or mismanagement. At the end of last year, for example, she said, the government could not account for more than US$1.24bil that had been earmarked for debt payments. In March, Gathungu reported that US$64mil worth of government-funded Covid vaccines had never been delivered. Critics have also fumed over extravagant spending by government officials. 'Ruto says we need to pay our debts, but there are no public services to show for it,' said Tatiana Gicheru, a student at Strathmore University in Nairobi. 'I can't walk into a government hospital and get any services.' Gicheru, 21, sat outside Java House, a coffee chain in Nairobi, and sipped a latte with her friend Jewel Ndung'u. Ndung'u, 25, graduated from Strathmore two years ago and has been looking for full-time work as an analyst or a developer. From September to January, she said, she applied for 73 jobs. She got a half-dozen callbacks and no job offers. A produce market in Nairobi. — Brian Otieno/The New York Times Ndung'u asked: where is the affordable housing? Where are health services and public transportation? Gicheru added: 'Suddenly the system is crumbling.' Ndung'u said she would rather see Kenyans directly pay off its debts, instead of giving the money to the government through taxes and trusting it to do it. In Kenya, taxes amounted to 16.6% of the country's total output in 2022, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The share is not unusual in Africa, but half the amount found in richer industrialised nations. June will be one year since the riots, and talk of commemorative gatherings and further protests is bubbling. That is also when the government will be finishing a new budget, which could possibly include further tax rises. Many people, including Okumu, fear there will be more riots. People work so hard, she said, hoping 'that tomorrow they'll see the light'. 'But when tomorrow comes,' she said, 'it's still darkness.' – ©2025 The New York Times Company This article originally appeared in The New York Times
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
'Opportune time to accumulate quality stocks'
AmEquities CEO Ng said three conditions are needed to revive market activity. KUALA LUMPUR: AmInvestment Bank Bhd has a cautiously optimistic view on market outlook, citing stable fundamentals but acknowledged ongoing headwinds that suppress market sentiment. 'Deals are in the pipeline, but the problem is uncertainty,' the bank's newly-appointed chief executive officer Christopher Ng Kok Wai told StarBiz at the launching of the AmEquities trading platform and media briefing here, yesterday. Many investment opportunities are available but companies are not able to continue without improved market clarity, he added. According to Ng, three conditions are needed to revive market activity namely a strong economic impetus, US interest rate cuts and clarity on tariffs as well as global trade. 'Fund managers are still holding elevated levels of cash relative to pre-Covid-19 norms. Once a catalyst emerges, we expect those funds to be deployed,' he noted. He said last year's positive market performance was supported by the strengthening ringgit, strong inflows into the data centre segment and political stability. Ng described the current market environment as being on 'auto cruise', where it is steady but lacks momentum. 'It's not bad, but it's not good either. We need an impetus,' he said, adding that global uncertainties, particularly around tariffs and the US rate cycle, continued to weigh on sentiment. While the broader market outlook remained mixed, Ng said fundamentals remained sound. 'From a domestic standpoint, consumption is still strong,' he said. He stated that crude oil prices of between US$70 and US$80 per barrel would be sufficient for the oil and gas sector to remain viable. 'The industry isn't asking for a boom, just stability,' he added. On the retail front, Ng acknowledged that most investors had remained cautious and on the sidelines. 'Retail investors are understandably hesitant, especially with the external environment. But there are still opportunities,' he said. With the FBM KLCI trading below its historical average, it could be an opportune time to accumulate quality stocks. 'It may not feel like the perfect time, but valuations are reasonable. Caution is warranted, but not paralysis. 'We are cautiously optimistic. As a focused, Malaysian-centric player, we see this market environment as a window to create opportunities, even when sentiment is soft,' he added. The AmEquities trading platform is offering a host of advanced features including customisable dashboards, access to live market data in real time with multilingual support. It aims to provide investors with a seamless and informed trading experience, reflecting the bank's commitment to innovation amid a challenging market environment.
