MAYORAL elections may be reintroduced within three years of Pakatan Harapan rule, said Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.

She said Putrajaya needs to first study the matter, as well as wait for the nation’s economy to improve.

“We have house cleaning to do now. I think within the next six months, we can look at how we can bring back local government elections,” she told reporters after visiting a People’s Housing Project in Bukit Jalil today.

“Local elections could be held as soon as possible, but looking at the economy, I think we should wait for it to stabilise further. I don’t want to add to the government’s burden.”

Zuraida had proposed local government elections after assuming her post in Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s cabinet.

Previously, the PKR politician had said local government elections should be held in the spirit of democracy.

In Parliament, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok of DAP had also suggested reviving such elections under the PH government.

Zuraida, who is also Ampang MP, said local government elections could be reintroduced in stages, starting with Penang and Selangor, which have been ruled since 2008 by the then federal opposition.

“If we can get the budget for it, we can start fast. If not, we will wait until the government is more stable.

“I have studied how they did it in Indonesia and other countries. But, we can’t do it without having the funds.

“But, we can start in Selangor and Penang. These two states are more developed. Then, we will move in stages to the other states.”

Penang’s PH government had tried to revive local government elections several years ago, to let the people elect city and municipal councillors.

But, the Federal Court in August 2014 ruled that the state government had no power to conduct local government elections, with Section 15 of the Local Government Act 1976 prohibiting state legislatures from holding such elections.

Local government elections were held between 1951 and 1965. They were suspended during the Indonesian Confrontation, and the then prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, had promised to bring them back.

However, this did not happen even after the confrontation ended in 1966. Since then, councillors have been appointed by state governments. – May 26, 2018.