Govt urged not to backtrack on local council elections

PETALING JAYA: The Prime Minister’s statement that the government will not go ahead with plans to reintroduce local council elections for fear of causing racial conflict is disappointing, the Centre For A Better Tomorrow said.

Its co-president Gan Ping Sieu (pic) said many senior Pakatan Harapan leaders had in the past promoted the idea of reintroducing local elections.

“The new government should not dial back on its reform agenda using the possibility of racial strife as an excuse,” he said in a statement yesterday.

On Monday, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had said that the government would not reinstate local council elections because this might cause racial conflict in the country.

Gan urged the government to instead come up with a roadmap on the restoration of local elections, beginning with the city and municipal councils.

“At a time when the public demands greater transparency and accountability, reintroducing the third vote is a natural progression.

“The current system of appointing councillors entrenches political patronage and breeds abuse as these office-bearers are not directly accountable to ratepayers and the local community,” he said.

The government, he said, should not be held ransom by racists and bigots, adding that by caving in to their demands and pressure, it risked making these people bolder with their divisive agenda.

Gan also likened the decision not to conduct local council elections to the government’s non-ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

The Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall said the concern about potential racial conflict should not be used as an excuse to ignore the public’s hopes or to prevent the struggle for a New Malaysia.

“The government should provide a platform to promote honest and rational dialogue as well as to strive to defend the fight to develop a New Malaysia,” it said.

In Kuching, Sarawak Bersih called on the state and State Minister for Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hien to restore local elections but not before consulting stakeholders and grassroots civil society.

In a statement endorsed by six other NGOs, it said Sarawak had experience conducting local elections dating back to 1948 based on the Local Government Elections Ordinance and Local Authorities Ordinance, both gazetted in 1948.

Pointing out that Sarawak’s first chief minister Tan Sri Stephen Kalong Ningkan had first been elected a district councillor before moving on, it said local elections would provide a good start and training ground for young aspirants.