The Star, 22th Oct 2009
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/10/22/central/4494125&sec=central

Banking on experience
MY COUNCILLOR
By JADE CHAN

IT WAS only a matter of progression for Rajiv Rishyakaran, who went from volunteering with Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh during the March 2008 election campaign to becoming one of her special assistants.

“We got to know each other years ago through Grace Church Shah Alam. I offered to help her during the campaign, and continued to help after she won.

“My duties have since evolved from following Hannah to events and activities, to dealing with the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) on complaints and organising events for Hannah,” he said.

Having acquired a decent understanding of, and knowing the workings and people at the MPSJ before becoming a councillor, Rajiv said his duties would remain almost the same, with the addition of a policy-making role.

He feels his experience will be useful in the committees he will be sitting on: Finance, Health, Licensing, and IT.

“I learnt all the aspects of a construction firm during my stint there, including finance, administration, standard operating procedures and technical workings, to dealing with people ranging from construction workers to government officers, and how contractors can cheat.

“There are a lot of things I want to get done, but I’ll have to consider what the other councillors want to do in terms of changing policies,” said Rajiv.

On Licensing, he hopes to step up the MPSJ’s enforcement, such as getting all shops to pay for their signboard licences.

On Health, Rajiv would like to see an improvement in the hygiene aspect at eating outlets by getting all to install grease traps and ridding unhygienic practices that attract rats, cockroaches and stray animals.

In terms of Finance, he said: “The people must have access to the yearly budget and year-end accounts, because it is their right to know.

“There should also be transparency in tenders, whereby the tender evaluation process is made known to the public. I also hope that the Official Secrets Act for all documents will be abolished, although these are big steps in terms of making change.”

As for the IT element, he would like to make the MPSJ’s online complaints system more user-friendly, with the option of having the complainant’s identity hidden where necessary, especially when it comes to enforcement.

“The IT system within the MPSJ must be improved to enhance its productivity,” Rajiv said.

“The council could also look into a fault reporting system whereby contractors who do maintenance work can report to the MPSJ about broken playground facilities or potholes when they go about their duties, instead of having the residents or MPSJ officers do it.”

He added that the MPSJ was working on a couple of proposals to address the parking issues in commercial areas like USJ Taipan and SS15, as well as to better empower the residents.

On the latter proposal, Rajiv explained: “We want to teach residents to take a more proactive approach in their community and know what to do, even to the stage of going to court, say, for a rubbish dumping issue.”

Full name: Rajiv Rishyakaran

Age: 28

Marital status: Single

Education: Degree in Electronic Engineering at Universiti Teknologi Tun Hussein Onn, Johor

Career: 3.5 years in a construction firm. Currently owns an online computer retail business

Councillor of: Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) Zone responsibility: Zone 3 (USJ 2 - USJ 15)

Contact: 012-311 1585/ rajiv@dapsj.com