KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 — Former Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah says that was the toughest task he had taken on in his 40-year career with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
The 64-year-old, who retired on March 31, described his role as the 13th Mayor of Kuala Lumpur as a big honour for him.
“Until today, nearly two-thirds of my life has been spent serving the city folk. It’s normal for me. The history of the development of every nook in Kuala Lumpur will continue to remain in my memory,” he said at his farewell party, earlier today.
Mahadi is also proud to have overcome various challenges during his two-and-a-half-year tenure as Mayor.
“The capital now no longer faces flash floods or the problem of stagnant water, which affected traffic and the daily lives of the city folk.
“We have also tackled traffic congestions, besides carrying out many programmes to improve the building capacity of DBKL officers and personnel through collaborations with several domestic and foreign agencies,” he said.
DBKL has also empowered Kuala Lumpur to become a world-class city on the international stage.
“Through cooperation with Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur has garnered recognition by winning the C40 Cities Bloomberg Award, in addition to being picked to represent the Mayors of the entire Asia Pacific at the United Nations Headquarters in New York at the High-Level Meeting for the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
“DBKL has also been chosen by Global Covenant of Mayors (for Climate and Energy) (GCoM) to share its experience in tackling climate change in Alpbach, Austria, which was also attended by mayors from all over Europe,” Mahadi said.
He also called on DBKL personnel to continue implementing the goals of sustainable development to make Kuala Lumpur a city that is inclusive and competitive for everyone.
As for his retirement plans, Mahadi said he plans to pursue more leisurely interests and is ready to share his experience regarding city issues at the national and international levels.
On the appointment of Datuk Kamarulzaman Mat Salleh as the new Kuala Lumpur Mayor, he expressed confidence that the former will boost the administration and governance of DBKL to ensure the city folk continue to place their trust in DBKL.
Earlier, Mahadi handed over his duties to Kamarulzaman and the ceremony was witnessed by Federal Territories Department director-general Datuk Seri Rosida Jaafar and the Prime Minister’s political secretary Azman Abidin.
On April 13, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali announced the appointment of Kamarulzaman as the new Kuala Lumpur Mayor effective from today (April 17) to August 14, 2024.
Kamarulzaman, 59, the former executive director (Project Management) of DBKL who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Surveying (Property Management) from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, began his career at DBKL in 1991 and has 32 years of experience in city management and Kuala Lumpur City planning policies.
— Bernama
