LOCAL government elections are not a priority for the unity government, Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming told the Dewan Rakyat today.

Nga said even though the country practises parliamentary democracy and the unity government respects the right of the people to elect their representatives, his ministry’s current priorities are the seven “focus areas” to strengthen the local government administration and service delivery.

He said his ministry aimed to empower the local governments, exploit their potential to generate more sources of revenue, and draw up a “more comprehensive” plan to make them competitive and compliant to changes.

He was responding to a question from Kota Bharu MP Takiyuddin Hassan, who asked if the government would bring back local government elections “as urged by certain parties”.

Nga told the Dewan Rakyat local government elections were first held in 1857 but suspended in 1965 due to the Indonesian Confrontation – the armed conflict from 1963 to 1966 that stemmed from Indonesia’s opposition to the creation of the Federation of Malaysia.

He said even though a royal commission of inquiry in West Malaysia had in 1965 recommended that local elections should continue “to provide representation to local government as in the past”, it was never revived.

The RCI, headed by then senator Athi Nahappan, however, also stated that the elections “should continue “on a voluntary basis”.

Nga said the priorities of the ministry this year are quality roads, clean public toilets, clean drains and brighter lights in public areas. – February 24, 2023.