SHAH ALAM: Candidates for the Selangor councillors were not vetted although the state government had sent a list to the authorities.

State executive councillor for local government, research and studies Ronnie Liu said there was no response from the Anti-Corruption Agency, police or Bank Negara when the list was sent to them for vetting.

"No one has come back to us. We cannot wait for six months.

"The appointment letters were sent out before the vetting process was over."

Liu also said investigations by the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council did not show that the candidates had criminal backgrounds.
He said two councillors-in-waiting were told to make statutory declarations that they did not have criminal backgrounds to safeguard the state government and public interest.

"It's a legal document. If their declaration is false, they have to go to jail. They will have to make the declaration on Friday (today)."

Liu said all appointments were for a year and would be reviewed after that.

Selangor State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Khim said the law did not have a provision forbidding those with criminal records from becoming councillors, but as a matter of policy, they should not be appointed.