Acting Bersih 2.0 chairman Shahrul Aman Mohd Saari and Thomas Fann, who heads ENGAGE, told FMT that efforts to implement local council elections should be started immediately, and a plan on how to achieve this made clear to all stakeholders.
They were commenting on Zuraida’s remarks in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday that local council elections would only be held in three years as the government needed time to study the matter.
She said factors to be taken into consideration included the legal aspect of the matter as well as financial concerns.
Adding that the government needed three years as the country’s finances and economy had yet to stabilise, she said holding local council elections required a lot of money.
However, Fann said costs were no reason to delay local council elections. If something was considered important, he added, it would be prioritised and allocated the necessary funds.
“I am wondering if the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government is committed to restoring local council elections even in three years, or whether she will blame the economy for further delay.”
Johor DAP veteran Dr Boo Cheng Hau acknowledged that there were some obstacles which would take time to overcome. These include the repeal of the Local Government Act’s Section 15 (1) which abolished local council elections, and Section 10 (1) which allowed for the appointment of local councillors.
A constitutional amendment would also have to be made to revive local elections, he added.
However, he said these obstacles, along with the costs, were secondary.
“What is of utmost importance is that Malaysians don’t have any elected representation in local councils despite the obligations to pay taxes such as assessment rates and so on.
“It’s against democratic conventions whereby the citizens have the duty to pay taxes without elected representation and a say in policy-making in local community development.”
Lawyer Derek Fernandez, who is also a local government expert, said however that Zuraida should be commended for being the only Cabinet member to commit to holding local elections within three years.
This was something no other minister, MP or assemblyman had done before, he added.
“Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad recently said local government elections for Kuala Lumpur would be held, but gave no time frame at all.
“Zuraida has not only given a time frame, she has shown her sincerity by actually forming a task force in her ministry to start looking at the framework and amendment of laws.”
Fernandez said the legal framework and implementation mechanism for local government elections would take about 15 months to complete.
“Whatever the case, it is critical that PH restores local government elections promptly as they even sued the former Barisan Nasional government through the state of Penang, claiming then that Putrajaya was the only obstacle to local government elections.”