Penang is set to table a Local Government Elections (Penang Island and Province Wellesly) Bill 2012 in the State Assembly on Thursday.
The Bill is being seen as a test of the local government’s legal right to conduct elections for the two municipal councils in the state. The Bill provides for local elections to be held every three years.
Under the Bill, citizens 21 and above and resident in the state would be eligible to vote. I think this should be lowered to 18, and the requirement should be broadened to include all long-term residents of Penang.
I just hope that all state assembly members, including the 11 BN reps, vote for the restoration of local elections.
The City Council in Penang was the first council in the country to implement local council elections. As Johan Saravanamuttu observed in Aliran:
George Town had a particularly eminent history in terms of democracy at the local level. The first elections in Malaya were held there in 1951 to elect nine councilors. George Town was a “city council” (the only one) by virtue of the fact that it was granted city status by the British in January 1957. With the passage of the Local Government Act, 1960, a new Constitution was granted to the City Council of George Town from 1 April 1961. George Town was fully autonomous financially and was the richest local authority, with annual revenue almost double that of the State of Penang. Its Reserve Fund at the end of 1965 stood at some 6,037,535 Malaysian dollars.
The importance of local democracy was illustrated in Japan recently. Democratically elected local councils played a key role in the shutting down of the country’s 54 nuclear power plants. No mayor would dare to approve a resumption in the operations of nuclear power plants (that had been shut down for periodic inspection) in their locality knowing that his or her administration would have to face the wrath of voters in the next local council elections.
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Late better than never. This required voters list from SPR, or should I say, a move to verify the voter list?
Local elections very important for we chose capable, clean (or bersih) and people-oriented leaders who get paid to do the job and hence accountable as well if the public projects are not carried out effectively and no leakages (sub-sub-sub) of taxpayer money.
Which local election ??? Aliran run one huh ???
Idiot GK, Are you a moron or what. The LGE govt wanted to implement local election to be conducted by EC but the EC and the N.. govt is opposing and putting obstacles in the way. This bill is to ensure the legal rights of the govt and people to hold local election to which EC must adhere otherwise it would be a sham to democracy’ The state govt has in fact written to EC sometime back to hold local election but they refuse. Don;t keep posting lies and half truth and twist and turn using Aliran as another scape… Read more »
Unfortunately GK will know not better as anything linked with BN only knows sham democracy. Product of the dumbed down education system, arrogance, and stupidity. A perfect BN supporter.
The EC (Election Conspiracy) had their chance, but their impartiality shines through. The EC not running it will be fine with me and a lot of Penangites. You can feel BN’s desperation coming through as bit by bit, their “revenue streams” and being cut off.
Trolling again Gherkin? No local government, you complain. Low cost housing, you complain not enough. This is the best, seeing your wet dream of your master’s return diminishing as Penang progresses. You need to find a new job soon.