Make red-tape reduction a priority, says former KL mayor

Make red-tape reduction a priority, says former KL mayor

THE former Mayor of Kuala Lumpur has urged the local authorities to make the reduction of red tape a priority in meeting the expectations of highly demanding ratepayers.

Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Shariff said that adopting innovation is not a big word or task.

Innovation can mean simplifying the process - making it accessible to the ratepayers in today's evolving but ever-demanding world, she said.

Maimunah was also formerly the Mayor of the Penang Island and Prai municipalities before becoming the  Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), serving in that role from 2018 to 2024 at the rank of UN Under-Secretary-General.

"Innovation can mean that instead of 12 steps, we reduce it to six. I'm sure our clients would be happy," she said.

It does not take Artificial Intelligence (AI) to do it; the minds of the local officers can do it - simplifying the steps, said Maimunah.

She said this when attending the roundtable discussion on "Local Government in Malaysia: Democratisation, Decentralisation and Accountability” recently.

The discussion at the public think tank, Penang Institute, was opened by state executive councillor Jason H'ng Mooi Lye, who oversees the local government portfolio.

According to Maimunah, the local government of today must learn to collaborate with both the public and private sectors to drive up efficient governance.

"Governance does not just belong to the government of the day but to the local government, which must serve their ratepayers daily," said Maimunah.

She also said that a reduction in waste collection can save millions in local council resources. - October 24, 2026.