Local Council Elections - Increased DEMOCRACY? Why does PAS, UMNO, PKR, DAP,...oppose it? People choose?

Local Council Elections - restoring the democratically elected Local Government. We had Local Council Elections until ____. After that, the State/Federal government appointed the Local Councilors and Mayor. Political appointees simply do not represent the people - and they also do not have the LISTEN to the people in the area.

UMNO-BN era brought about this 'POLITICAL APPOINTEE', which is contrary to DEMOCRACY where the people elect and choose their leaders. Even kampung leaders and Taman leaders are being appointed by government - not chosen by the people of the communities. 

The Opposition, mainly DAP and PKR, and also PAS then, were for RESTORING LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS - BUT when Pakatan Harapan(which included DAP and PKR) came into, they FAILED to make it happen.

"When I brought this up during the previous administration, YB Langkawi (former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) was against it, yet none of you from the other side dared support me although it was part of the Pakatan Harapan manifesto," she[Zuraida Kamaruddin] retorted.

Even the State government is prevented by FEDERAL LAW to have Local Council Elections. Realy, the STATE should have the power to determine whether they can have Local Council(Local Government) elections - not the Federal Government. Federal Government should only have the power for Federal Territories. Now, RESTORE the power to the States to decide whether Local Government elections should be restored.

In Thailand, not only do they have Local Council(Government) elections, but also Taman/Kampung elections.

Local Government has limited powers compared to the Federal and the State government - but they do have the power to decide how the money collected from the local people in the form of 'quit rent'(taxes for your house/shop), fees paid for business/advertisement permits, parking fees, summons, - YES, local government today also have laws applicable to its area only. WHY ARE SOME POLITICAL PARTIES AFRAID? WHY ARE THEY AFRAID OF THE LOCAL COUNCILLORS OR LEADERS THAT THE PEOPLE CHOOSE?

Some say the worry is that if there are local council elections, then it may be dominated by non-Malays, which is absurd because there is a Malay majority in almost every Local Government area, and if like the Federal/State elections, the area is divided according to constituencies, this will not happen. It certainly will never happen in Kelantan and Trengganu, or the other high Malay population places  > so why is some in PAS opposed to the idea of democratic elections at the Local Council, kampungs/Taman > why do they still want 'political appointment'?

“Local government elections are seen as the starting point to racial division as the composition of Chinese are greater in the urban areas compared to the composition of other races such as the Malays and Indians...leading to a gap which will divide the standards of living for the various races in Malaysia.

“We will not hesitate to oppose it (local government elections) and thereby ensuring the effort is not implemented, even if PAS is a part of the government today," he[PAS Youth chief Khairil Nizam Khirudin] said.

Khairil added this was in line with the stand taken by the Islamic party’s central leadership that local government elections are not to be considered until certain racial, economic, lifestyle and social divides are addressed.

“…and efforts to inculcate a more cohesive unity in Malaysia,” he said, adding the government would be sure to come up with a different way to better local administrations.

If you look at just the shops in some towns, well you may see that the majority may be of a particular ethnic group - but Local Council/Government area also includes a wider area including the housing areas, kampungs, etc > it is a LAME excuse to talk about 'racial division" or Chinese worry. I would not have expected this from a PAS Youth leader -  Is there some other reason why PAS opposes local council elections? even in Kelantan and Trengganu?

Are Malaysians going to vote according to religion and race of the candidates, or are Malaysians mature enough to vote in the best persons based on their values, principles and actions. Are we 'RACISTS' - well, at the grassroot level, really ethnicity, religion and even nationality matters - for most people what matters is whether one is GOOD or BAD?

POLITICAL APPOINTMENT culture means I can 'reward' my friends and political party members > More importantly, is that I can choose 'absolute loyalist' who will never contradict what I want? They will be governed by FEAR of the political appointees knowing that at any time, they could be got rid off by the politijcal appointee.

Political appointees generally do not care that much for the good and well-being of the affected community or local government area or kampung/taman > After all, the people do not choose them, all the money they get paid comes from the peoples' monies. 

Local Council meetings are supposed to be open to the public BUT then the Local Council has the power to close it to the public. Now, in Malaysia, there may be no Local Council meetings open to the public - Is it open to the public in Penang or Selangor or Kelantan?

Local Council power and resources may be eroding. Garbage collections, for example was the responsibility of the Local Councils - but today, it is taken over by a company, appointed by the possibly the Federal Government. Local Councils just pay, and do not have control anymore. Before, when the Local Council was the appointer - they could ask for more frequent garbage collection, even other services like the service of collecting big garbage, like old fridge/furniture, tree branches - and they then used to charge the consumer a nominal reasonable rate of about RM15-RM20. Today, no more such service - and when I went recently to the Local Council, the officer said they had no more power to ask the garbage collecting company...he suggested, to cut it up and burn? What about grass cutting - is it still under the Local Council > or has it been taken over by the State government or Federal Government? Many Local Councils have been reduced to money collectors > but may not have the power and/or capacity to resolve local problems??? I do not know who are even the Local Councilors or the Yang Di Pertua of the Local Council > and these 'political appointed' Councillors do not even meet the people or ... 

Malaysians need to speak out - DO YOU WANT MORE DEMOCRACY? DO YOU WANT LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS? Do you want democratic elections at the kampung/taman and communities? OR do you prefer 'POLITICAL APPOINTMENT'?

Malaysia only have DEMOCRATIC elections for MPs and ADUNs(State Legislative Assembly Persons).

We do not even have democratic elections for Senators...

Are we a democracy or are we an 'autocracy' or a dictatorship of the Federal/State governments?

Malaysians, what do you want?

Local council elections nationwide will cost more than RM300mil, Zuraida tells Dewan Rakyat

Nation
Tuesday, 14 Jul 2020 11:51 AM MYT

By MARTIN CARVALHO

KUALA LUMPUR: It will cost more than RM300mil to hold local council elections nationwide, says Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.

"With regards to the cost implications, it is estimated that it will cost about RM2mil to hold elections for a single local authority. It would cost about RM308mil to hold elections for all 154 local authorities in the country," she said in the Dewan Rakyat in reply to a question raised by Wong Hon Wai (PH-Bukit Bendera) Tuesday (July 14).

However, she said there are no plans to hold council elections at the moment as the matter is still under study by the Government.

"The study will cover a three-year period with the findings brought to the Cabinet and Parliament for approval by mid-2021," she added.

She said that two committees have been formed to gather feedback from stakeholders and to formulate a mechanism for the implementation of such elections.

She said the study will also include a pilot programme on local council elections in Penang and Selangor.

Besides the cost implications, Zuraida noted that several laws needed to be amended if local council elections are to be held.

Datuk Mahfuz Omar (PH-Pokok Sena) took a swipe at Zuraida, asking if she had the backing of the Cabinet under the Perikatan Nasional administration as it now includes PAS, which is against local council elections.

"When I brought this up during the previous administration, YB Langkawi (former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) was against it, yet none of you from the other side dared support me although it was part of the Pakatan Harapan manifesto," she retorted.

Zuraida helmed the Housing and Local Government Ministry under Pakatan's administration before its collapse in late February this year. - Star, 14/7/2020

Umno, PAS oppose Zuraida’s local govt election plan

Ng Xiang Yi

Published 15 Jul 2020, 6:12 pm

Modified 15 Jul 2020, 6:50 pm

PARLIAMENT | Umno and PAS are up in arms against fellow Perikatan Nasional minister Zuraida Kamaruddin's push for local government elections.

Umno lawmaker Noh Omar (below) said this wasn't part of PN's agenda, while PAS Youth said local government elections could heighten racial disparity in the country.

Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, Noh (BN-Tanjung Karang) said he was especially opposed to a test poll being done in Selangor.

"I want to stress in this House, Selangor PAS and Umno reject local government elections.

"Whose manifesto is this? This is Harapan's manifesto... Please minister, announce that the PN government plans to cancel local government elections, please, so those of us down here are calm," he said.

 

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi from GPS, and Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh (PAS-Pasir Putih) also voiced objections to local government elections.

Yesterday Zuraida, who helms the Housing and Local Government Ministry, said she is pushing ahead with plans to initiate local government polls to empower local governments, which she began when serving in the Pakatan Harapan administration.

She said a paper on the matter will be tabled in the cabinet by mid-2021 before further work is done.

Fahmi Fadzil (Harapan-Lembah Pantai) asked if Noh's objection meant that the latter and Umno was willing to pull out of the PN government if Zuraida doesn't abandon her plans.

Noh replied: "This isn't about pulling out."

"(Not holding local government elections) is our desire. I hope the minister can understand that this is a suggestion from Harapan. The PN government doesn't have a manifesto," he added.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, PAS Youth chief Khairil Nizam Khirudin (below) said the PN government should prioritise ensuring financial and harmonious certainty for the rakyat.

“Local government elections are seen as the starting point to racial division as the composition of Chinese are greater in the urban areas compared to the composition of other races such as the Malays and Indians...leading to a gap which will divide the standards of living for the various races in Malaysia.

“We will not hesitate to oppose it (local government elections) and thereby ensuring the effort is not implemented, even if PAS is a part of the government today," he said.

Khairil added this was in line with the stand taken by the Islamic party’s central leadership that local government elections are not to be considered until certain racial, economic, lifestyle and social divides are addressed.

“…and efforts to inculcate a more cohesive unity in Malaysia,” he said, adding the government would be sure to come up with a different way to better local administrations.

Yesterday Zuraida said local government elections were important to show Malaysia was a progressive and democratic country.

However, she alleged none of her former Harapan colleagues had supported her when the plan was shot down by then-prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
 

DAP deputy secretary-general Teresa Kok denied any cabinet paper has ever been presented by Zuraida when in Harapan. Nonetheless, Kok assured that DAP would support plans for local government elections. - Malaysiakini, 15/7/2020