KUALA LUMPUR: Institutional reform advocacy groups welcomed the call to reinstall local government elections, stating that decentralising power would hold the authorities accountable for addressing community issues.
CSO Platform for Reform chairperson Jerald Joseph said the system, adopted by Indonesia and India, has been proven to be a good check and balance mechanism.
"It is a no-brainer. Effective management of a country means we need the third vote for a better accountability system of the local government in Malaysia.
"Our country has had the system before. Only those not committed to a good democratic system will fear this," Joseph said.
Joseph said elected local officials would have to perform as they know the community issue better.
"Councilors will always be on their toes, not just following their political masters. As non-performing individuals would be voted out the next election," he said.
Echoing Joseph, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) newly elected President Muhammad Faisal Abdul Aziz said local government elections are part of the mechanism to shift Malaysian politics from centralisation to decentralisation of power.
"It will empower the people at the grassroots level to take their local government to talk and hold them accountable for the community issues," he said.
Muhammad Faisal emphasised that the recommendation aligns perfectly with the growing importance of town or city management, particularly as urbanisation becomes more prevalent.
"To provide sustainable solutions to the issues of slums, pollution, urban sprawl and housing affordability that follow urbanisation, having accountable local governments via free and fair elections is needed," he said.
Besides cost concerns, local elections are constantly critiqued over the potential monopolisation by one ethnicity; Muhammad Faisal said the 2010 Census eventually showed many city councils consist of mixed populations.
"Projecting to the future, the Bumiputera presence in various city and municipal councils will only increase.
"However, we cannot make light of such concern," he said while calling to have a dialogue with all parties and take note of all the pointed-out concerns.
Muhammad Faisal proposed that the local government election should be implemented in stages.
"We should start with a pilot project to show the importance of it at all aspects, also to ensure that there is no racial issue that might arise," he said.
Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Hasmuni Hassan said the government needs to carefully consider the DAP's proposal to reintroduce local government elections to avoid any party gaining undue advantage easily.
"Why is DAP so interested in holding local government elections again? What is their real agenda? I do not know. They certainly have an answer that is 'bigger' than just democracy given as a reason to justify these elections," he said in a statement today.
Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki also said there is no need for local government elections, instead calling to focus on addressing the nation's economic issues.
"The people should not be continuously dragged into endless political conflicts," he said in a Facebook post today.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa today said she would soon discuss the proposal to hold local council elections with the Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming.
Earlier this year, Nga said the unity government has no plan to reintroduce local elections, which were suspended in the 1960s.