Local Council Elections - Penang Exco Suggest Mock Elections (an old suggestion made since 2008?)

There is still no local council elections in the Pakatan Rakyat states....a breach of election promises.

There are ways of enabling the people to choose their own local councilors.... and some of these suggestions have been made before...by many persons/groups

Only in Perak, did we have kampung elections (and 1 kampung baru election) - what about the other Pakatan Rakyat states...people want democracy....but they are not getting it from the BN (or the Pakatan Rakyat)...

More than 2 years after the March 2008 General Elections, a Penang State Exco insults our intelligence by making a 'suggestion'...to have 'mock local government elections' and thereafter appoint those chosen as Local Councillors....was that not one of the suggestions made since 2008? 

It is time for those of us who want real democracy at all levels to stop 'pussy-footing' when it comes to Pakatan Rakyat...We have to criticize the Pakatan Rakyat for their failings...and stop making excuses for the their breach of election promises....

Press Statement - 19^th May 2010 (Wednesday)

 SUARAM Penang Supports The Penang State Government’s Suggestion To Run Pilot Mock Elections

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) Penang fully supports the suggestion of Penang state exco member YB Chow Kon Yeow to run pilot mock local government elections in Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Bungah and further appoint those "elected" as councilors of MPPP.

We welcome the suggestion as a positive sign towards restoring local democracy and therefore are willing to work together with the Penang government in making this ideal a reality.

Testing out the mechanism of local elections in Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Bungah, where residents are relatively active in the local community, is a good start. Through this effort, people can get to know more about why decision making in local governments affect their lives and, more importantly, how elections give ratepayers the right to participate and hold their elected representatives accountable.

Unlike the BN federal government's ill-advised stand on the issue (especially given Prime Minister Najib's comments that local elections are unhelpful), YB Chow's suggestion, if carried out,  can serve as a timely lesson to quarters who doubt the importance of democracy and accountability at all levels of government.

Local government elections have been removed by the BN government for close to 50 years. Hence, Suaram Penang fully understands the difficulties - both legal and logistical - posed to the Penang state government in their attempt to restore elections, especially without the cooperation from relevant federal agencies, such as the Elections Commission.  We hope the Penang state government perseveres in this endeavour, and through it gain the necessary experience it needs to make Pakatan Rakyat credible and effective in administrating a government.

Warm regards,

Ong Jing Cheng
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
Penang Branch Coordinator,
63B-01-07, University Heights,
Jalan Sungai Dua,
11700 Penang.
Tel / Fax: 04-6582285
E-mail: suarampg@gmail. com
http://suarampg. blogspot. com/