Why can't KLites elect their mayor?

 

The Kuala Lumpur mayor is wrapping up her tenure, and honestly, it feels a bit like when your favourite barista at Zus Coffee suddenly disappears.

You notice it, you’re a bit sad, but after a few days, you just adapt and hope the next person can make your latte without judgment.

KLites have perfected this coping mechanism because, let’s face it, our mayors come and go faster than new bubble tea outlets in Bukit Bintang.

We should also be honest and admit that we don’t really pay attention to who the mayor of Kuala Lumpur is, because, really, it’s not like we vote for the person, right?

But here’s what I’ve always wondered. For a self-admitted world class city, we should probably be allowed to choose our own mayor, no?

New York does it. London does it. Seoul does it. But Kuala Lumpur? Nope. We just wait for the announcement like we’re checking exam results.

Malaysians suddenly became obsessed with a local election recently. Of all places, in New York!

Somehow, Zohran Mamdani’s surprise win had Malaysians sharing clips, writing threads, and behaving like they’ve been lifelong New Yorkers. But I get that, following his exciting campaign and victory.

New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani

Back in Kuala Lumpur, we’re still stuck with a mayor selected quietly in Putrajaya’s human resources department. KLites just cross our fingers and hope we get someone who understands the city, not someone who thinks Kampung Baru is a restaurant that serves ayam penyet.

Kuala Lumpur has real problems. We have traffic so bad you bond spiritually with the car next to you, pavements designed by someone who clearly hates pedestrians, floods that appear out of the drains faster than the rats in the back alleys of Chow Kit, and public transport that occasionally forgets its responsibilities.

Local council polls

When people suggest a local council election, some people say that it could even create racial tension. I think these people need to just get over it. Everything in Malaysia is already racial. A mayoral election isn’t going to tip us over the edge.

Anyway, Kuala Lumpur’s issues don’t have race. Floodwater does not check your IC before rushing into your living room. Sinkholes don’t ask what religion you are before opening up and swallowing your body, never to be discovered.

Some people say holding elections will politicise local councils. Have they never attended a residents’ association meeting? We politicise parking spaces, guardhouses, gated communities, and whether stray cats and dogs should be fed. Malaysians are born politically charged.

If KLites were allowed to vote, imagine the mayoral campaigns. Candidates sweating in Brickfields, dodging motorbikes in Cheras, trying not to fall into a pothole in Setapak. Democracy, but with humidity and unpredictable traffic.

Malaysia used to have local council elections, by the way. Then we stopped. Now it’s 2025 and we’re still behaving like Kuala Lumpur isn’t mature enough to choose its own leader. It has practically everything. From skyscrapers, nightlife, culture and ambition, but no control over its own choices.

If Malaysians could get so invested in Mamdani’s victory halfway across the planet, just imagine the excitement if the election involved Kuala Lumpur roads, food, and chaos. We’d finally be shouting about something that directly affects our daily survival.

But until then, we’ll just wait for the next mayor like we wait for the LRT. We stand at the platform patiently, sceptically, and with the silent hope that this time, the train won’t be late or break down. - Mkini

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ZAN AZLEE is a writer, documentary filmmaker, journalist and academic. Visit fatbidin.com to view his work.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.