COMMUNICATIONS Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the new Federal Territories Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa should be given more time to study DAP’s proposal for local government elections to be held in the capital city.

Fahmi said Zaliha needed time as she was only appointed to the position in a cabinet reshuffle last week. She was previously the health minister. 

“This is a major policy decision that is not to be taken lightly and I believe that we have an internal process. So, we need to assess and view the entire matter together,” he told reporters after launching an event. 

On a separate note, Fahmi said the buildings commissioner had notified him that in 2018, 95% of some 6,000 strata properties throughout KL did not conduct their annual general meetings (AGMs).

“About 95% to 97% failed to submit their audited financial accounts for 2018. This is a very serious issue that we face. This does not only have to do with local government elections but hyper-local elections,” said the Lembah Pantai MP.

Yesterday, Kuala Lumpur DAP chairman Tan Kok Wai called on Putrajaya to start local government elections in the capital city first to bolster democracy.

The Cheras MP said reintroducing local elections in the city would provide sustainability and give the residents the right to select their city council representatives.

Local elections in Malaysia were suspended in the 1960s and later replaced by a system of appointed heads, with mayors of city councils as well as presidents of municipal and district councils being appointed by state governments.

Umno youth leader Dr Akmal Saleh shot down Tan’s suggestion, saying that the proposal was insensitive and provocative.

He said with Bumiputeras only making up 45.9% of residents in Kuala Lumpur, local elections would lead to an “imbalance” with more non-Bumiputera representation at the local government level. – December 18, 2023.