GEORGETOWN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s outright rejection of local council elections is to cover-up “Umno-BN’s weak state administrations” which is devoid of fresh ideas, according to Bukit Bendera MP Liew Chin Tong.
Liew’s view is underscored by the recent auditor-general’s report which gave Pakatan state administrations the thumbs up for the second year running while slamming the BN-led state governments for mounting debts and their inability to contain abuse among others.“I urge Najib to weigh and study the proposal first before tossing the suggestion into the bin. It is a credible suggestion which is beneficial to the people.
“The Umno-BN administration have run out of new ideas to develop and defend the rakyat. But when the Pakatan Rakyat gives a constructive proposal, they reject it purely because it’s a suggestion from the opposition,” Liew said.
Deputy Speaker in the Selangor assembly, Haniza Talha, while echoing Liew’s views, believes that local council elections will produce credible people-centric councillors.
She stressed that a councillor who goes through the process of an election automatically develops a sense of responsibility towards the grassroot.
This, she said, will drive elected councillors to resolve each complaint and sustain their place in the minds of the rakyat.
Haniza also reminded Najib that like all elections, local council polls also had fixed time frames.
She added that council election were important as their authority was subjected to amending local rules at state level administration, which inevitably improved quality of life of local residents.
Yesterday Najib’ had rejected the call made by Penang and Selangor to reintroduce local government elections. Malaysia abolished local government elections in 1965.
Najib had said that reintroducing local government elections would only give importance to politicking among members of the local councils.
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