Call for direct democracy

ONE of the reasons the Pakatan Harapan government was voted in was a promised slate of reforms. But now that they hold the reins of power, will Pakatan implement the sort of structural reforms that are required?

The call for local council elections, for one, has been a repeated one.

In fact in the early years after Independence, there had been local elections, but they were scrapped after the Alliance parties started losing them to opposition parties like the Socialist Front and the People’s Progressive Party.

Pledging for more direct democracy, Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil says he looks forward to seeing local council elections happen.

He points out that the most realistic immediate option might be to have a mayoral election.

However, before local council elections or even a mayoral election can be carried out, several key reforms need to be done, he notes, and issues such as who would have the right to cast their vote, or even which body will be in charge with running the election, need to be sorted out.

“I think we need to get it right, I am not agreeable if we resort to the current electoral roll under which people who do not reside in that particular constituency or a particular area were voting for in that election.

“Someone who lives in Bangsar definitely knows the roads in Bangsar but someone who votes in Bangsar but lives in Bangi or Bukit Jelutong will not experience Bangsar the same way.”

As a Kuala Lumpur lawmaker, Fahmi says he backs not only a mayoral election but also an election for the advisory board of the Kuala Lumpur City Hall.

“I think we can consider the possibility of turning that into an elected body. Right now it is fully appointed.”

Fahmi also wants to see reforms in the electoral system, from first-past-the-post-system to a more proportional representation election.

“I don’t know if we are ready for that but at the heart of it, I think it is very important to recognise and understand our role in a democracy as much as it is to go and cast your vote,” he says.

Voter education and “political literacy” is another area close to his heart as he feels it is important for voters to know the roles and responsibilities of an elected representative.

“One thing I would propose to (Education Minister) Dr Maszlee Malik is for us to think about putting in a component about elections and democracy in Kemahiran Hidup (Life Skills),” he says.