I also commend Hadi for his bold and innovative measures in the first few days of his administration, as the abolition of the bridge toll, the abolition of assessment tax and quit rent for residential land, the five-day week, the decision that he and all State Exco members would publicly declare their assets and the establishment of the hisbah portfolio under the former Lord President, Tun Salleh Abas - which is equivalent to an ombudsman - to deal with public complaints over maladministration in the state government and wrongdoings.
There are things which the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and the Federal Government can learn from the new PAS Terengganu State Government, as in requiring all Cabinet Ministers to publicly declare their assets and the establishment of a National Ombudsman or a Parliamentary Commissioner to receive and investigate public complaints about maladministration, abuses of power and other malpractices in the public service.
At the just-concluded two-hour meeting between DAP leaders and the Terengganu Mentri Besar and senior State Exco members, we discussed a wide-range of issues covering both the post-election political scenario as well as the Terengganu state government's plans and proposals.
We agreed that the Barisan Alternative must demonstrate to Malaysians that we are more committed to the principles of accountability, transparency and the consultative process than the Barisan Nasional, and that this would be shown through the style of government of the Terengganu state government.
We have also agreed to have meetings from time to time between DAP leaders and the Terengganu state government leaders to exchange views on the larger political situation in the country as well as developments in the Terengganu state.
(15/12/99)