Penang proposes to issue a gazette notification exempting all local authorities in Penang from applying Section 15 of the Local Government Act 1976 before seeking a court declaration compelling the Elections Commission to conduct local government polls. Continue reading »
Jan 132012
Mar 072010
Back from a rejuvenating day at Penang Forum 2, where 170 concerned individuals, including representatives from 35 Penang-based NGOs, grappled with the question, ‘Has anything changed after two years?’
The participants passed two resolutions: they supported the Penang state government’s call for the reinstatement of local government elections and called on the Election Commission to act, pronto. In the interim period, they called for the quota for reps of public interest NGOs to be increased to five each in the Penang Municipal Council and the Seberang Perai Municipa Council.
The second resolution called for the Local Plan for Penang Island (completed/revised in 2009) to be made public so the public can give their views. Never mind if it is a bit dated by now. (The plan covers the period from 2005 to 2020.)
During the forum, participants were fascinated to learn the following:
