Welcome to updates from the Penang local council elections to determine civil society nominees to serve as MPPP and MPSP councillors for 2011. It is the first step in the journey towards the full restoration of local government elections.
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Dear K. The process of democratisation started with the appointment of councilors who represent various trades and interests and who are not politicians. A move in this direction was mooted by the pakatan states of Penang, Selangor and Perak in 2008. In the last general election, PR committed to restore the 3rd vote. Unfortunately, they did not receive sufficient mandate from the voters to do so because of cheating, gerrymandering and bribery by the incumbents. At least with PR, we have a chance to see this happening in Parliament where all legal and legislative ambiguities can have a finality. We… Read more »
The result of the vote at the Penang Forum may only be used as a gauge. Even if the state government runs its own elaborate local election, the result of that election cannot be used to fill councilor posts simply because of the constitutional provision. I think YB Chow Kon Yeow made it very clear that the state government would consider the list of successful candidates but was non-committal to their inclusion or appointment as local councilors. PAS is not supporting local elections for the simple reason that Muslim participation in urban local councils could be decimated in communal trend… Read more »
I think a lot of people looked at what the candidates stood for rather than their ethnicity. For instance, they were not willing to support the few candidates who supported the ISA or were vague about their specific positions on issues.
There is only one legal body in this country (under the federal constitution) to conduct public elections to elect peoples’ representatives.
That is the Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Malaysia.
So far, they have refused to conduct local elections even when requested to do so by the Selangor and Penang governments for reasons best known to that commission.
So if a state were to conduct its own local elections, the results may very well be challenged and ruled to be invalid on constitutional ground.
In PR, only DAP and PKR are pushing for local elections.
PAS is not conducive to this idea.
THESE ARE NOT MY COUNCILLORS! How dare you DAP! PAS not into Local Council Elections?!? Does Tok Guru know this? It is time for him to put his foot down! Could a ‘shadow’ Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Malaysia be formed in the same structure to conduct? If non-constitutional, the Rakyat could even support the elections, BUT AT LEAST make sure that an attempt to contact EVERY single voter is made! Use my above method at the very least . . . Also the candidates are not to be cronies or linked to political parties or are proxies of political parties. Which… Read more »
It is democrary and it is up to any people to stand. It is a racist talk just because there is no malay. How about inclusion of mamaks etc?
The point is that the PR is for all Penangites regardless of race unless.
There are so many armchair critics and only say and not even contribute a single sen. No wonder bullock cart wheels are difficult to find
Please see the full list of candidates at penangforum.net
Wira DAP,PKR and PAS have legions of lawyers and this issue been discussed for years before the GE. So when PR made a promise to restore local democracy, we expected it to happen and not to see they giving silly excuses saying SPRM won’t do it. As we can see, PR choose not to follow any law that they deem unsuitable in the states they rule. Even if they suddenly have grown to be law-abiding after their success in 12GE, there is no excuse for not affirming their support for local elections in the common policy manifesto. It is not… Read more »
Under the law, the state govt can give instructions of a general character to the councils, but not specific instructions.
Anil…
My understanding is the state govt make policies/law and other guidelines but they can’t give any direct instructions even if these are general in nature.
In any case, we are just deceiving ourselves by these “syiok-sendiri” efforts as we have not moved forward at all in terms of local council elections.
Worse still, we are even providing a semblence of credibility to the Cheap Minister by this move.
First, they can start with all reps to be from non politial background and with impeccable reputation and have respect of the people. YES.
Also an ATTEMPT must be made to be fully inculsive of ALL 1.5 million voters for these handful of seats. It is not democratic at ALL!
K spoke very clearly earlier on, do you have interest in guiding or being part of Haris Ibrahim’s 3rd Force MCLM? If so pls google “People’s Parliament” and join in and advise there!
Why so sore. If don’t like – next election over throw PR and vote in UMNO and see if they held any election?
Ask Gerakan/Umno states to have council election or a small step – appoint some NGOs and not all their machais
Anil I m sorry to rain on your parade but this is just a “syiok-sendiri” exercise that pitiful. While I must congratulate the organizers for the efforts, this is not we should be doing. We should not be holding such fake elections and hoping that LGE will throw some bones for us to pick up and be grateful. We should be demanding LGE to hold local council elections as he and PR had promised in their GE manifesto and repeated after he took over. Saying that this is a small step toward full restoration is silly. It is not for… Read more »
With Batu Sapi, Galas,PKR and Dap perak election carried out recently, how can one trust the election conducted by NGO. There could be the 3rd Pakat where the 3rd force will scratch each other back.
Despite the many shortcomings considering the constraints, I think the way the elections were carried out couldn’t have been more transparent. We had about a hundred people witnessing the counting! And the event (voters and candidates) were open to all Penang residents.
The encouraging part was that it was carried out in a positive spirit, the losers accepted the results in good grace, and no one tried to create any trouble.
DAP apologist! Aliran’s A1-ECOSOC Roster Consultative Status with the United Nations?!? They don’t deserve it. They should be stripped of it! How could they endorse such a travesty and call it democratic? If DAP is serious, they will redo this Local Council Election again in the manner I propose. If they are not going to, then the Rakyat had better know they LIE about democracy. This is neither Competent not Accountable though certainly Transparent. Said NGOs had better redo this in the manner I suggest if they really care about Local Council Elections. And don’t exhonerate DAP from this, because… Read more »
In any public auction, there is a collusion between bidders. With the number of people at the meeting, the vast majority could be their machai or kaki who vote the tai loh in?
Anil, thanks for explaining. A lot of us are like that, dont know what is going on and just simply shoot…
yes, a small first step along that journey…
many thanks !!!
After 2 years in power and still want to do small first step ???
Hi Anil, Perhaps you can clarify the following: 1. Is it true that the current law doesn’t allow for genuine local council elections, and changes to allow this is prevented by refusal from BN federal gov and the Election Commission? 2. Because Penang (DAP) gov cannot carry out local council elections, it currently gives 2 (or is it more?) positions in the councils to representatives from Civil Society Organisations? 3. Instead of just deciding among themselves, the Civil Society Organisations (which come together to form Penang Forum) decided to appoint their representatives by public open election so that more people… Read more »
Re No. 1 – I think there’s some debate about whether it is at all possible from a legal standpoint. But the Penang government plans to ask the Federal Court to make a judicial pronouncement. No. 2 – At present, there is just one civil society rep (whom we are familiar with) in MPPP and none in MPSP. The others have been taken up by “NGOs” such as Chambers of Commerce, etc Nos 3-5 – Yes, yes, and yes – transparency in selection, wider choice of candidates and public participation were important considerations. No 6 – Yes, we wanted to… Read more »
Thanks for clarifying. I thought I’d ask since people seem so confused… 😉
Atlhough it is only 284 voters, at least it is a first and sincere step by the PR & LGE government.
Even in SME best worker polls have much more voters than 284 !!!
Who knows whether the 284 votes are party supporters or even branch/division members ???
Yang, you must be very happy now as you are just tasted the candy thrown by your idol !!!
As a wannabe no matter what, you are always in a state of denial. Whether the voters are party members or not, everybody from the public to the opposition and ruling party like UMNO, Gerakan, MCA, MIC, DAP, PKR, PAs can always register and vote. If UMNO & BN wanted to boycott, that is their business after its all in the name of democracy. LGE & PKR unlike BN & UMNO do not hijack democracy. Example is UMNO money politics in party election unlike PKR which give power to the members to elect their own leaders. Are you blind or… Read more »
Gerakan
Kick out Najib & BN UMNO or you will be thrown the STICK instead. LGE & Khalid have been too generous with you I believed and especially the KBP folks.
@Yang
Read my suggestion above. Redo the elections in the manner I suggested if you are not a third world cybertrooper. Take 6 months of needed but don’t even dream that anay right minded citizen would accept this farce as democratic!
Much as I would like to see a better representation of races, particularly the malays and mamaks…. but then, who were to blame?
Penangnites were all given ample notice of this event, they failed to come forward or, were they playing politics… chained to UMNO’S…?!
Anil Netto pls help here! I need you to cover the below issue. See the below link! http://malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/from-around-the-blogs/35982-historic-local-council-polls-held-in-penang And here is my response that they might not post! This is a sham election! 300 people out of over 1.5 million?!? How does this count as democratic? Was there even provision to allow for 10,000 to vote? And if there was 10,000 would not even count! The lack of mechanism provided by DAP to allow every person in every district to vote makes this an extremely tilted affair, a closed election! I propose the entire election be carried out in a… Read more »
These elections were not organised by the DAP but by a group of Penang civil society groups (collectively known as Penang Forum). They had very limited resources in terms of finance and personnel. They realise the many weaknesses and shortcomings of this pilot project, but their aim was to highlight the importance of restoring local democracy in the future. These elections were just a small first step along that journey.
err, this is not a PR or LGE program…
this local council election is initiate by Penang Forum…http://www.penangforum.net
Pakatan Rakyat is still in denial to run a local council election in Pakatan State…
Dalbinder got voted in? *vomits* Big mistake people!
Pawsie,
Through the influence of Rayan
They must be given a chance. It is the third voice. If they cannot perform, then they will be shut out forever.
They used to do the talk and now they have to walk the talk otherwise they are the devils and hyprocrites
syabas PR penang n also LGE . keep up ur good work . all other states should follow likewise .