3 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Illogical to put FT dept under Zahid, says Save KL
The federal territories ministry was formed in 1979 to align Kuala Lumpur's development with that of the Klang Valley. (Envato Elements pic)
PETALING JAYA : A group representing Kuala Lumpur residents has opposed the proposal by an Umno Youth leader for the federal territories department to be placed under the supervision of deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Save KL chairman M Ali said such a move was illogical and impractical, and would render Dr Zaliha Mustafa's role as federal territories minister redundant.
He also voiced fears about additional costs, overlapping roles, and inefficiencies.
'If such a transfer occurs, Zahid would oversee the federal territories department, which indirectly means he would be overseeing Zaliha who is the head of the department,' he told FMT.
Ali also said that Zahid, the Umno president, already served as deputy prime minister, rural and regional development minister, and chairman of the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Council, in addition to representing the prime minister when necessary.
'Rural development is a very active and key role,' he said, adding that it would take up much of Zahid's time and focus.
The federal territories ministry was formed in 1979 to align Kuala Lumpur's development with that of the Klang Valley. It was abolished in 1987 with a federal territories development department taking its place instead.
The ministry was revived in 2004, restructured into the current federal territories department in 2022, and placed under the Prime Minister's Department.
FT Umno Youth had proposed placing the department under Zahid's purview, saying the development of the three federal territories – Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan – seemed to have lost direction since the ministry was scrapped.
FT Umno Youth chief Aliff Firdaus Abd Hadi claimed that key agencies in the territories were also working in silos, and that Zahid would be able to ensure better inter-agency coordination.
